Microwave-assisted Dobner synthesis of 2-phenylquinoline-4-carboxylic acids and their antiparasitic activities

A series of twelve substituted 2-phenylquinoline-4-carboxylic acids analogous to antimalarial and antileishmanial natural products was developed via the Dobner reaction employing microwave irradiation (MW). The products were obtained in moderate yields in 0.5-3 minutes and nine of them were evaluated in vitro against the parasites responsible for malaria, leishmaniasis and trypanosomiasis diseases (WHO, Switzerland). Four compounds exhibited activity against Trypanosoma cruzi and another two resulted active against Plasmodium falciparum and Leishmania infantum, respectively.