Synthesis and HIV-1 reverse transcriptase inhibitor activity of some 2,5,6-substituted benzoxazole, benzimidazole, benzothiazole and oxazolo(4,5-b)pyridine derivatives.

In this study, the synthesis of some benzoxazoles and their analogues were described and their antiviral activities were studied together with the previously synthesized 2,5,6-trisubstituted benzoxazole, benzothiazole, benzimidazole and oxazolo(4,5-b)pyridine derivatives. The reverse transcriptase (RT) inhibitory activity of these compounds was determined using a commercial kit and assay system which utilizes the scintillation proximity assay principle. The results are concentration at which the compound inhibits RT activity by 50%). The compounds inhibited the in vitro binding of thymidine to the RT enzyme exhibiting IC50 values between 6.3 x 10(5) mumol/l-0.34 mumol/l and their activities were compared to some standard drugs such as 3'-azido-2',3'-dideoxythymidine triphosphate and dideoxythymidine triphosphate.