Synthesis, antibiofilm activity and molecular docking of N-acylhomoserine lactones containing cinammic moieties.

We prepared a series of cinnamoyl-containing furanones by an affordable and short synthesis. The nineteen compounds hold a variety of substituents including electron-donating, electron-withdrawing, bulky and meta-substituted phenyls, as well as heterocyclic rings. Compounds showed antibiofilm activity in S. aureus, K. pneumoniae and, more pronounced, against P. aeruginosa. The disruption of quorum sensing (QS) was tested using the violacein test and molecular docking predicted the antagonism of LasR as a plausible mechanism of action. The trimethoxylated and diene derivatives showed the best antibiofilm and anti-QS properties, thus becoming candidates for further modifications.