Antimicrobial, Structural, Optical, and Redox Profiling of 7 <i>H</i> -Benzo[ <i>c</i> ]carbazol-10-ol Derivatives: An Integrated Experimental and Computational Study

Carbazoles represent a versatile class of heterocycles with wide-ranging applications in medicinal and materials chemistry. However, their functionalized derivatives remain underexplored, largely due to challenges in synthesis and derivatization. This study investigates, for the first time, the integrated antimicrobial, photophysical, and redox properties of structurally novel 7<i>H</i>-benzo-[<i>c</i>]-carbazol-10-ol derivatives. These derivatives, distinct from parent carbazoles, were synthesized via a one-pot annulation and C-C coupling approach, enabling access to hydroxylated and naphthyl-substituted scaffolds with enhanced bioactivity and optoelectronic features. The target compounds were initially screened for their <i>in vitro</i> antimicrobial activity using the agar well diffusion assay. Compounds <b>3a</b> and <b>3c</b> exhibited superior activity over amoxicillin and ceftazidime against <i>P. aeruginosa</i> with (MIC = 8 μg/mL). Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and molecular docking studies provided insights into the mode of antibacterial action and morphological changes. Moreover, these compounds exhibited unique redox and UV/vis absorption behavior, characterized by high absorption coefficients and distinct electronic transitions, as demonstrated by time-dependent density functional theory (TD-DFT) calculations. This dual profiling underscores their potential as antimicrobial agents and sustainable organophotocatalysts, offering new horizons in both medicinal and materials chemistry.