Synthesis and anti-viral activities of some 3-(naphthalen-1-ylmethylene)-5-phenylfuran-2(3H)-one candidates

3-(Naphthalen-1-ylmethylene)-5-phenylfuran-2(3H)-one 1 was prepared and converted into a variety of heterocyclic systems of synthetic and biological importance. Benzylamine was reacted with furanone 1 to afford compounds 2 and 3 according to the reaction conditions. Butanamide 2 was reacted with thionyl chloride or thiourea to give derivatives 4 and 5, respectively. Compound 3 was reacted with ethyl cyanoacetate to give the corresponding pyrrolopyridine derivative 6. Treatment of 1 with hydrazine hydrate afforded compounds 7 and 8 according to the reaction conditions. Also, compound 1 was reacted with phenyl hydrazine, hydroxyl amine, malononitrile or thiourea to give compounds 9–12, respectively. Cyclization of 7 with ethoxymethylene-malononitrile, ethyl-(ethoxymethylene)cyanoacetate, carbon disulphide or acetylacetone afforded the corresponding compounds 13–16, respectively. Condensation of 7 with p-nitrobenzaldehyde gave the corresponding hydrazone 17, which was treated with thioglycolic acid or chloroacetyl chloride to give compounds 18 and 19, respectively. Also, most of the prepared products were tested for anti-avian influenza virus and revealed promising antiviral activity against H5N1 virus A/Chicken/Egypt/1/2006 (H5N1)] by determination of both TC ₅₀ and ED ₅₀ and confirmed by plaque reduction assay on MDCK cells. Compounds 7, 8, 11, 12 and 13 showed the highest effect compared with the other tested compounds.