Antiviral Activity and Molecular Geometry of Some New Symmetrical Tris(aminoalkyl)amine Derivatives.

We report the preparation of new tripodal receptor-type C3- and CS-symmetrical molecules constructed on a tris(2-aminoethyl)amine (TAEA) template. Both the anti-herpes simplex virus type 1 (anti-HSV-1) activity and cytotoxic activity of synthesized receptor-type derivatives were evaluated in order to find a characteristic structural feature for these bioactivities of compounds. Among the compounds of synthesized symmetrical TAEA-related derivatives, compound 13k showed high anti-HSV-1 activity (50% effective concentration (EC50)=16.7 µM) and low cytotoxicity (50% cytotoxic concentration (CC50)=>200 µM). The presence of a hydrogen bond donor proton in the molecule is thought to be an important structural factor for expressing potential anti-HSV-1 activities.