By Johann Leal, Catherine Nguyen
Faculty mentor: Dr. Davis Oldham
Tuberculosis (TB) ranks the second deadliest infectious agent in the world, most often affecting underdeveloped and developing countries (WHO, 2022). M. tuberculosis’ ability to build antibiotic resistance requires constant search for new alternative methods of treatment, such as the use of a competitive inhibitor to halt catalysis of the claisen reaction which extends the bacterium’s cell wall. The synthesis of an analogue drug, 4-(4-chlorophenyl)-1-(1-pyrenylmethyl)-4-piperidinol through a Grignard reaction, chlorination of alcohol, and alkylation, serves as a potential competitive inhibitor against TB. Analysis of the final product through FTIR and H NMR suggests that we were unable to synthesize the proposed product. Adjustments to the synthesis can further be explored in future studies to reduce side products and increase the likelihood of our product’s formation.
