Synthesis and antimicrobial activity of oxazolidin-2-ones and related heterocycles

A series of 5-membered heterocycles, structurally related to the known antibacterial oxazolidin-2-ones 1, have been prepared by modifying the model compound 1a at the 1-, 2-, 2′- and 3-positions. The antibacterial activity of compound 1a was strongly affected by these modifications to the heterocycle, although none of these resulted in an improvement in the microbiological activity. The physicochemical and antibacterial properties of the synthesized compounds are reported.