Synthesis, characterization and biological activities of new star-shaped cyclodextrin-triazole hybrids and glycoside analogues via click chemistry

The growing demand for innovative and effective anticancer agents has steered research toward the development of multifunctional bioactive compounds. Herein, we describe the synthesis of a novel pyridine/cyclodextrin derivative through a copper(I)-catalyzed azide-alkyne cycloaddition (CuAAC) click reaction. Initially, a pyridine derivative bearing a terminal alkyne group was synthesized and subsequently reacted with an azido-functionalized β-cyclodextrin. Structural characterization of the resulting conjugate was conducted using FTIR, NMR, and SEM analyses, confirming the successful formation and morphological features of the hybrid compound. The biological evaluation demonstrated remarkable multifunctional activity of the synthesized compound, including potent antioxidant capacity (DPPH radical scavenging activity reaching 93%), strong antibacterial efficacy (inhibition zones of 2.6–3.7 cm), notable antifungal effect (inhibition zone of 1.3 cm), and pronounced anticancer activity (IC₅₀ = 2.42 µg/mL, equivalent to 4.3 µM). These findings underscore its potential as a promising candidate for advanced biomedical applications.