Synthesis and antimicrobial evaluation of 2-(2-butyl- 4-chloro-1H-imidazol-5-yl-methylene)-substituted-benzofuran-3-ones

In the present study, the oxidation of 3-(4-chloro-1H-imidazol-5-yl)-1-(2-hydroxyphenyl)prop-2-en-1-ones with mercuric(II) acetate in in polyethylene glycol (PEG-400) gave the corresponding 2-((4-chloro-1H-imidazol-5-yl)methylene)benzofuran-3(2H)-ones. Newly synthesized compounds were tested for their in vitro antimicrobial activity.