Abstract In this research six of N-phthalimides of amino acids (IIIa-f) have been synthesized, as a first step, through cyclocondensation of o-phthalic acid with amino acids (glycine, L-alanine, L-valine, L-leucine, L-phenylalanine, L-aspartic) in the presence of glacial acetic acid in bath oil (170-180 oC), the results of this step were compared with the results of traditional method. In the second step, (IIIa-b) were refluxed with o-phenylene diamine (IVa) in the present of (HCl, 4N) for 2 h to give N-(1H-benzimidazol-2-yl methyl) phthalimide (Va), N-[1-(1H-benzimidazol-2-yl ) ethyl] phthalimide (Vb). All products were characterized by FT-IR, MS and 1H-NMR spectroscopies and elementary analysis. The synthesized compounds were screened for their antimicrobial activity against four microorganisms: Streptococcus Epidermidis, Escherichia Coli, Mycobacterium Tuberculosis and Candida Albicans.
Keywords o-phthalic acid, N-phthalimide amino acids, benzimidazole, antimicrobial, anti-mycobacterial.