Antidepressant molecules: Synthesis and evaluation of novel azetidinone compounds

In the effort to develop new potential molecule for the betterment of the health condition, a few of novel substituted azetidinones were synthesized and characterized for antidepressant action. All the synthesized compounds were characterized for their structure elucidation. Antidepressant studies of these compounds indicated that the compounds were having significant antidepressant activity. The synthesis of the compounds was performed in three steps that utilized SN2 type substitution. The IR spectra of all the compounds exhibited the stretching vibration peaks due to C-N, C=O, C=N at 1400-1000 cm-1, 1765-1645 cm-1 and 1690-1520 cm-1 (medium) respectively. The other vibrations that appeared in the spectra included those from aromatic C=C and C-H, C-H alkane, C-Cl (4e), C-O (4d), C-H (methoxy), C-C (cycobutyl) and C=O (cycobutyl). The 1HNMR spectra obtained displayed the peaks of aliphatic CH and aromatic CH at 2-3.3, and 6.7-7.2 ppm respectively. The mass spectra displayed the molecular ion peak and the isotopic peaks as calculated. The reference drug fluoxetine and the test compounds 4b, 4d and 4e decreased the immobility of mice in FST whereas the swimming frequency was increased significantly. An activity profile similar to TST was seen and the compounds 4a, 4c and 4f did not give the expected results.