Novel pyrazolidine-3,5-dione derivatives (2a-g, 4a-g, and 6a-g) were synthesized by an easy-to-perform Mg(II) acetylacetonate-catalyzed reaction with high yields using water as the reaction medium. Synthesized compounds were screened for anticancer and antimicrobial activities. The compound 6c (LD50 19.1 µg/mL) showed anticancer activity higher than that of all other compounds against MCF-7 breast cancer cell line. Results of antimicrobial activities revealed that the compound 4d (MIC 0.5 μg/mL) had higher activity than ciprofloxacin against Staphylococcus aureus, whereas the compound 2b (MIC 0.5 μg/mL) had higher activity than clotrimazole against Candida albicans. Overall results of this study envisaged that the compounds 2b, 4d, and 6c have the potential to be developed as anticancer and antimicrobial agents. Novel pyrazolidine-3,5-dione derivatives (2a-g, 4a-g, and 6a-g) were synthesized via an easy-to perform Mg(II) catalysis in water medium. The synthesized compounds were screened for anticancer and antimicrobial activities.
Keywords: Antibacterial activity; Anticancer activity; Antifungal activity; Mg(II) catalysis; Pyrazolidine-3,5-dione derivative.