Synthesis and Characterization of Novel Sulfanilamides as Potential Chemotherapeutic Agents

Undergraduate #34
Discipline: Chemistry and Chemical Sciences
Subcategory: Chemistry (not Biochemistry)

Sekou Stuppard - Howard University
Co-Author(s): Rebecca Bernadel, Howard University, Washington, DC

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Sulfonamides were heavily utilized during World War I and II to treat infections due to their antibacterial properties. In the following decades, more effective sulfanilamides were created to treat bacterial infections. Today these compounds are used to assist patients who battle infections that are immune to standard antibiotics. In general, sulphonamides are referred to as sulfa drugs due to the presence of the sulfonamide group. They have been clinically attractive synthetic antibiotics for the past half-century for treatment of systemic infections. We aim to design novel chemotherapeutically active agents derived from isatin (sulfanilamide derivative). This was achieved through the alkylation reaction of isatin (ISA), 4-(2-oxoindolin-3-ylideneamino)benzenesulfonamide, with various alcohols in a 1:1 molar ratio in the presence of catalytic amounts of calcium carbonate and copper acetate as catalysts. The desired alkylated sulfanilamides were characterized based on melting points, elemental analyses, FT-IR and 1H- and cosy NMR. The IR analysis confirmed that new products have been achieved. The narrow melting point and 1H NMR spectrum indicate that the product obtained in pure form. Further characterization will be completed and then these new sulfa compounds will be screened as potential anticancer and antitumor agents for multidrug resistant cancer cells.

Funder Acknowledgement(s): National Science Foundation; Howard University Global Education Awareness and Research Undergraduate Program (HU GEAR UP)

Faculty Advisor: Salam Titinchi, stitinchi@gmail.com

Role: My co-author and I both synthesized the sulfanilamides and characterized them through various analyses.