Abstract:
New imidazole derivatives of 6,11-dihydrodibenz[b,e]oxepines and 6,11-dihydrodibenz[b,e]thiepines have the general formula ##STR1## They and the salts thereof are useful as antifungal and antibacterial agents.

Description:
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates to new imidazole derivatives of 6,11-dihydrodibenz[b,e]oxepines and 6,11-dihydrodibenz[b,e]thiepines as well as salts thereof. These new compounds have the general formula ##STR2## wherein X is oxygen or sulfur; 
     R 1  and R 2  each is hydrogen, halogen, trifluoromethyl, lower alkyl, hydroxy, lower alkoxy, lower alkylthio, nitro or the basic group ##STR3##  wherein R 3  and R 4  each is independently hydrogen, lower alkyl, phenyl or substituted phenyl wherein the phenyl bears one halogen, hydroxy, lower alkoxy, lower alkyl, lower alkylthio, cyano or nitro group. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     In formula I the lower alkyl groups include straight or branched chain hydrocarbon groups containing 1 to 7 carbon atoms. Examples of the type of groups contemplated are methyl, ethyl, propyl, isopropyl, etc. The lower alkoxy and lower alkylthio groups include such lower alkyl groups bonded to an oxygen or sulfur, respectively, e.g., methoxy, ethoxy, propoxy, butoxy, t-butoxy, methylthio, ethylthio, propylthio, butylthio, isobutylthio. In all of these radicals the C 1  -C 4 , especially the C 1  -C 2  members, are preferred. 
     The halogens are the four common halogens, chlorine and bromine being preferred in that order. Preferably, but not necessarily, the R 1  and R 2  substituents in a single compound are the same. The substituted phenyl groups refer to phenyl rings bearing one of the simple substituents named, which are of the same character as described above. Unsubstituted phenyl is preferred. 
     The basic nitrogen groups ##STR4## include, for example, amino; lower alkylamino, e.g., methylamino, ethylamino, propylamino and the like; di(lower alkyl)amino, e.g., dimethylamino, diethylamino, methylethylamino, dipropylamino, dibutylamino and the like; phenylamino; diphenylamino; 2-, 3- or 4-chlorophenylamino; 2-, 3- or 4-hydroxyphenylamino; (lower alkoxyphenyl)amino, e.g., 2-, 3- or 4-methoxyphenylamino; (lower alkylphenyl)amino, e.g., 2-, 3- or 4-methylphenylamino; (lower alkylthiophenyl)amino, e.g., (2-, 3- or 4-methylthio)phenylamino; 2-, 3- or 4-cyanophenylamino or 2-, 3- or 4-nitrophenylamino. 
     Preferred embodiments of the invention are compounds of formula I wherein X is oxygen or sulfur and R 1  and R 2  each is hydrogen or halogen. Especially preferred are those compounds of formula I wherein both R 1  and R 2  are hydrogen or R 2  is hydrogen and R 1  is other than hydrogen, particularly halogen, most especially chlorine, and most particularly chlorine in the 2-position. The hydrohalide salts and especially the hydrochloride salt, are also preferred. 
     The compounds of formula I are prepared by N-cycloalkylation of an imidazole of the formula ##STR5## with an appropriate reactive ester of the formula ##STR6## wherein Y is a reactive ester function, such as halo, mesyl, tosyl or the like. 
     The reactive ester intermediates of formula III are generally prepared by converting the corresponding alcohol of the formula ##STR7## into the desired reactive ester according to methods generally known in the art. 
     A preferred method, which can be effected without isolating the ester of formula III, is the direct reaction of an alcohol of formula IV with thionyl-bis-imidazole or carbonyl-bis-imidazole of the formula ##STR8## wherein A represents --SO-- or --CO--. 
     The alcohols of formula IV are prepared by reduction of the corresponding tricyclic ketones [J. Med. Chem. 5, 1210 (1962); Monatshefte d. Chem. 93, 892 (1962)]. 
     Additional experimental details are found in the illustrative examples below. 
     The compounds of formula I form salts which are also part of this invention. The salts include acid-addition salts, particularly the non-toxic, physiologically acceptable members. The compounds of formula I form salts by reaction with a variety of inorganic and organic acids providing acid addition salts including, for example, hydrohalides (especially hydrochloride and hydrobromide), sulfate, nitrate, borate, phosphate, oxalate, tartrate, maleate, citrate, acetate, ascorbate, succinate, benzenesulfonate, methanesulfonate, cyclohexanesulfamate and toluenesulfonate. The acid addition salts frequently provide a convenient means for isolating the product, e.g., by forming and precipitating the salt in the appropriate medium in which the salt is insoluble, then after separation of the salt, neutralizing with a base such as barium hydroxide or sodium hydroxide, to obtain the free base of formula I. Other salts may then be formed from the free base by reaction with an equivalent of acid having the desired anion. 
     The new compounds of formula I and their salts are useful as antimicrobial agents, particularly as antifungal agents, and can be used to combat infections in various mammalian species, such as mice, rats, dogs, guinea pigs and the like, due particularly to organisms such as Candida albicans as well as organisms such as Trichomonas vaginalis or Trichophyton mentagrophytes. For example, a compound or mixture of compounds of formula I or physiologically acceptable acid addition salt thereof can be administered orally to an infected animal, e.g., to a mouse, in an amount of about 5 to 25 mg/kg/day in 2 to 4 divided doses. These may be conventionally formulated in a tablet, capsule or elixir containing about 10 to 250 mg. per dosage unit, by compounding the active substance or substances with the conventional excipient, vehicle, binder, preservative, flavor, etc. as called for by accepted pharmaceutical practice. Preferably they are applied topically, e.g., intravaginally in a lotion or in a conventional cream base at a concentration of about 0.01 to 3 percent by weight for a period of 3 to 7 days, 2 to 4 times daily. 
    
    
     The following examples are illustrative of the invention. They represent particularly preferred embodiments and also serve as models for the preparation of other members of the group. All temperatures are on the Celsius scale. 
     EXAMPLE 1 
     1-(6,11-Dihydrodibenz[b,e]oxepin-11-yl)-1H-imidazole 
     To a solution of 4.2 g. of 11-hydroxy-6,11-dihydrodibenz[b,e]oxepine (0.02 mol.) in 125 ml. of anhydrous benzene is added 6.5 g. of N,N&#39;-carbonyl-bis-imidazole (0.04 mol.). In order to get the N,N&#39;-carbonyl-bis-imidazole completely dissolved, the mixture is heated for a short time to 60°-65°. The solution is allowed to stand for 24 hours at room temperature. After the benzene is removed, the residual 1-(6,11-dihydrodibenz[b,e]oxepin-11-yl)-1H-imidazole is treated with water, filtered off, washed with water and ether, dried and recrystallized from acetonitrile, yield 4.3 g. (82%), m.p. 154°-155°. 
     EXAMPLE 2 
     1-(2-Chloro-6,11-dihydrodibenz[b,e]oxepin-11-yl)-1H-imidazole 
     2.5 g. of 2-chloro-11-hydroxy-6,11-dihydrodibenz[b,e]oxepine (0.01 mol.) dissolved in 60 ml. of anhydrous benzene are reacted with 3.25 g, of N,N&#39;-carbonyl-bis-imidazole (0.02 mol.) according to the procedure of Example 1 to obtain 1-(2-chloro-6,11-dihydrodibenz[b,e]oxepin-11-yl)-1H-imidazole, yield 1.2 g. (41%), m.p. 180°-182° (acetonitrile). 
     EXAMPLE 3 
     1-(6,11-Dihydrodibenz[b,e]thiepin-11yl)-1H-imidazole 
     5.7 g. of 11-hydroxy-6,11-dihydrodibenz[b,e]thiepine (0.025 mol.) dissolved in 150 ml. of anhydrous benzene and 8.1 g. of N,N&#39;-carbonyl-bis-imidazole are reacted according to the procedure of Example 1 to obtain 1-(6,11-dihydrodibenz[b,e]thiepin-11-yl)-1H-imidazole; yield 3.7 g. (08%), m.p. 162°-164° (acetonitrile). 
     The hydrochloride salt is obtained by treating the above product with an excess of ethereal hydrochloric acid and recrystallizing from acetonitrile. 
     EXAMPLE 4 
     1-(2-Chloro-6,11-dihydrodibenz[b,e]thiepin-11-yl)-1H-imidazole 
     5.2 g. of 2-chloro-11-hydroxy-6,11-dihydrodibenz[b,e]thiepine (0.02 mol.) dissolved in 200 ml. of anhydrous benzene and 6.5 g. of N,N&#39;-carbonyl-bis-imidazole are reacted according to the procedure of Example 1 to obtain 1-(2-chloro-6,11-dihydrodibenz[b,e]thiepin-11-yl)-1H-imidazole; yield 4.1 g. (65.5%), m.p. 175°-176° (acetonitrile). 
     The following additional compounds are produced by the procedure of Example 1 or Example 3, by substituting for the 11-hydroxy-6,11-dihydrodibenz[b,e]oxepine or the 11-hydroxy-6,11-dihydrodibenz[b,e]thiepine, respectively, the R 1  and/or R 2  -substituted analog. 
     
         ______________________________________ ##STR9##Example X      R.sup.2   R.sup.1______________________________________5       O      H         3-CF.sub.36       O      H         2-CF.sub.37       S      H         3-CF.sub.38       S      H         2-CF.sub.39       O      8-Cl      3-Cl10      O      9-Br      3-BR11      S      H         3-Cl12      O      H         4-Cl13      O      9-CH.sub.3                    H14      S      H         3-OCH.sub.315      O      H         2-OC.sub.2 H.sub.516      O      H         3-SCH.sub.317      S      H         3-SCH.sub.318      S      H         4-C.sub.2 H.sub.519      O      H         2-NO.sub.220      S      H         3-NO.sub.221      O      H         3-NHCH.sub.322      S      H         3-NHCH.sub.323      O      H         2-NHC.sub.2 H.sub.524      S      H         3-N(CH.sub.3).sub.225      O      H         2-N(CH.sub.3).sub.226      O      H                     ##STR10##27      S      H                     ##STR11##28      O      H                     ##STR12##29      S      H                     ##STR13##30      O      H                     ##STR14##31      O      H                     ##STR15##32      S      H                     ##STR16##33      O      H                     ##STR17##34      O      H         3-NH.sub.235      S      H         2-NH36      O      8-OH      H37      S      9-OH      H38      O      H         2-OH39      S      H         3-OH______________________________________