Synthesis and antimicrobial evaluation of new chalcones containing piperazine or 2,5-dichlorothiophene moiety

Two series of new chalcones have been synthesized and evaluated for their antimicrobial activity. Some of these derivatives are potentially active against Gram-positive bacteria; Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli. Two new series of chalcones have been synthesized by reacting 1-(4-piperazin-1-yl-phenyl)ethanone and 1-(2,5-dichloro-3-thienyl)-1-ethanone with different substituted benzaldehydes in turn by Claisen–Schmidt condensation. The compounds have been characterized by IR, 1H NMR spectral and microanalysis data. All the synthesized compounds have been evaluated for antimicrobial activity. Some of these derivatives are potentially active against Gram-positive bacteria, Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli while the most potent compound ( 1) in this study showed MIC 50 value of 2.22 μg/mL against Candida albicans.