A series of nineteen derivatives of N-(2-pyridylmethyl)salicylamides and N-(3-pyridylmethyl)salicylamides was synthesised. The compounds exhibited in vitro activity against Mycobacterium tuberculosis and M. avium.
Their lipophilicity, R M, was measured by thin layer chromatography on silica gel impregnated with trioctadecylsilane and the logarithm of the partition coefficient (octanol-water), logP, was calculated. Both the parameters of lipophilicity correlated.
The quantitative relationship between the structure and antimycobacterial activity was calculated. Antimycobacterial activity increased with an increase in lipophilicity.
The N-(2-pyridylmethyl)salicylamide derivatives were more active than the derivatives of isomeric N-(3-pyridylmethyl)salicylamides. The geometry of compounds was calculated and the calculation was verified by measuring the length of the hydrogen bond between hydroxyl and carbonyl groups on the salicylic moiety.