Huber R., Marcourt L., Héritier M., Luscher A., Guebey L., Schnée S., Michellod E., Guerrier S., Wolfender J-L., Scapozza L., Köhler T., Gindro K., Queiroz E. F.
Generation of potent antibacterial compounds through enzymatic and chemical modifications of the trans-delta-viniferin scafold.
Stilbene dimers are well-known for their diverse biological activities. In particular, previous studies
have demonstrated the high antibacterial potential of a series of trans-δ-viniferin-related compounds
against gram-positive bacteria such as Staphylococcus aureus. The trans-δ-viniferin scaffold has
multiple chemical functions and can therefore be modified in various ways to generate derivatives.
Here we report the synthesis of 40 derivatives obtained by light isomerization, O-methylation,
halogenation and dimerization of other stilbene monomers. The antibacterial activities of all
generated trans-δ-viniferin derivatives were evaluated against S. aureus and information on their
structure–activity relationships (SAR) was obtained using a linear regression model. Our results show
how several parameters, such as the O-methylation pattern and the presence of halogen atoms at
specific positions, can determine the antibacterial activity. Taken together, these results can serve as a
starting point for further SAR investigations.