# Design, Synthesis and Multitarget Biological Evaluation of Perfluoroalkylated Benzoylthiourea Compounds: From Biofilm Disruption to DNA Cleavage

## TL;DR

Scientists designed and tested fluorinated compounds that can disrupt biofilms and cut DNA, showing potential as new medicines.

## Contribution

The study introduces perfluorinated benzoylthiourea compounds with multitarget biological activities, including biofilm disruption and DNA cleavage.

## Key findings

- Perfluorinated compounds showed high antioxidant and α-amylase inhibitory activity.
- The compounds effectively inhibited biofilm formation in S. aureus and P. aeruginosa.
- DNA nuclease activity was observed in all tested compounds.

## Abstract

In the present study,
a series of benzoylthiourea compounds bearing
a perfluorinated group (−C8F17), namely N-((4-(heptadecafluorooctyl)­phenyl)­carbamothioyl)­benzamide
(1) and N-((3-(heptadecafluorooctyl)­phenyl)­carbamothioyl)­benzamide
(2) along with their non-fluorinated analogue, N-(phenylcarbamothioyl)­benzamide
(3), were synthesized and characterized. Subsequently, various biological
properties of the thiourea derivatives 1, 2, and 3 were evaluated,
with a particular focus on elucidating the effect of the fluorinated
group. The free radical scavenging activities of these compounds were
evaluated with ascorbic acid and Trolox standards. Antioxidant activity
peaked at 84.56% for 1 and 74.22% for 3. While 1 and 2 showed 97.70
and 96.50% inhibitory effects on α-amylase at 6.25 mg/L, 3 demonstrated
74.90% inhibitory effect at 100 mg/L. All compounds also displayed
effective DNA nuclease activity. Additionally, antimicrobial and antibiofilm
activities of benzoylthiourea compounds were also investigated. The
most resistant microorganisms to the tested compounds were found to
be Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. In contrast, the most sensitive microorganisms were found to be Legionella pneumophila subsp. pneumophila and Enterococcus faecalis. The biofilm formation
inhibition activities of benzoylthiourea compounds against S. aureus were 71.79, 69.80, and 63.53%, and against P. aeruginosa were 53.52, 63.33, and 70.00%,
respectively, at the highest concentration. These findings provide
a basis for proposing perfluorinated benzoylthiourea derivatives as
potential potent, selective, and multitarget medicinal agents.