Regioselective approach to 5-arylsulfonylisoxazoles and their antimicrobial activity

This study presents a novel regioselective synthesis of 3-electron-withdrawing-group-(EWG)-substituted 5-sulfonyl- and 5-sulfinylisoxazoles from 3-EWG-5-nitroisoxazoles via nucleophilic aromatic substitution with thiophenols followed by oxidation with m-chloroperbenzoic acid (mCPBA). The scope of the reactions was explored, demonstrating high yields across a variety of functional groups and substituents. Optimized conditions enabled selective oxidation of thioaryl groups to sulfonyl or sulfinyl derivatives. Biological evaluation revealed that several compounds, especially 3-nitro-5-sulfonyl- and 5-sulfinylisoxazoles, exhibit potent antimicrobial activity against Gram-positive bacteria, fungi, and notably low MICs comparable to those of standard drugs. The mechanism of action studies indicate that these compounds induce the bacterial SOS response without inhibiting DNA synthesis-related enzymes such as DNA polymerase I, DNA gyrase, or topoisomerases I and IV, suggesting activation via bacterial reductases. These findings highlight the potential of these isoxazole derivatives as promising antimicrobial agents and provide new insights into their mechanism of action.