Synthesis of Sulfonamides, Metal Complexes and the Study of In vitro Biological Activities

A modified method for the synthesis of a series of substituted benzenesulfonamides from benzenesulfonylchloride and substituted amines (1:1) in aqueous media have been adopted at controlled pH (8-10). Transition metal complexes of synthesized ligands were also prepared by refluxing ligands and metal salts (2:1) for one hour. The synthesized compounds have been characterized by spectroscopic techniques (FTIR, 1HNMR and mass spectrometry). Synthesized compounds were analyzed for their activity toward acetyl cholinesterase (AChE) inhibition, butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) inhibition, lipoxygenase (LOX) inhibition, antioxidant (DPPH) and antiurease. As regards biological activities of ligands, only N-(2-nitrophenyl) benzenesulfonamide (3) showed appreciated value of IC50= 77.13± 00 μmole against LOX while all metal complexes showed low activities. Cu complex (C-4) showed moderate activity against LOX while all the other metal complexes had no activity against any enzyme at all. Similarly Zn complexes (Z-2 to Z-6) showed little activity against AChE but the ligands showed no significant activity against any other. Metal complexes showed high capacity toward antiurease activity.