Rational design and microwave-promoted synthesis of triclosan-based dimers: targeting InhA for anti-mycobacterial profiling

A set of alkyl-/1H-1,2,3-triazole-based dimers was strategically designed and synthesized to evaluate their <i>in vitro</i> anti-mycobacterial activities against <i>Mycobacterium tuberculosis</i> and the non-tuberculous <i>Mycobacterium abscessus</i> strains. Systematic variations in the nature (alkyl/1H-1,2,3-triazole) and positioning of the linker were implemented based on the docking scores observed in the binding sites identified in the crystal structures of InhA from <i>M. tuberculosis</i> and <i>M. abscessus</i>. However, the <i>in vitro</i> evaluation results revealed that the synthesized compounds did not exhibit inhibitory effects on the growth of mycobacteria, even at the highest tested concentrations. The elevated lipophilicity values determined through ADMET studies for these synthesized dimers might be a contributing factor to their poor activity profiles.