Design and synthesis of 2-(2-{3-chloro-4-[1-(arylamido/imido-alkyl)-1h-benzimidazol-2-yl] phenyl} ethyl) isoindol-1,3-diones for studying their anti-japanese encephalitis virus (JEV) activity

Phthalic anhydride on heating with β-ethanolamine (cholamine) at 210°C furnished 2-(2-hydroxyethyl)-isoindol-1,3-dione (1) which reacted with 2-chlorobenzoic acid in H₂SO₄ to give 2-chloro-4-[2-(1,3-dioxo-1,3-dihydro-isoindol-2-yl) ethyl] benzoic acid (2). Reaction of 2 with ophenylenediamine in dry pyridine afforded 2-{2-[4-(1Hbenzimidazol-2-yl)-3-chlorophenyl] ethyl} isoindol-1,3-dione (3), which on condensation with amido/imidoalcanols resulted in 2-(2-{3-chloro-4-[1-(arylamido/imidoalkyl)-1Hbenzimidazol-2-yl] phenyl} ethyl)-isoindol-1,3-diones (4). Compounds 4 were evaluated for their antiviral activity against Japanese Encephalitis Virus (JEV), a highly human pathogenic virus.