Synthesis and antibacterial activity of new tropone-substituted phenyloxazolidinone antibacterial agents 2. Modification of the phenyl ring — the potentiating effect of fluorine substitution on in vivo activity

Various electron-withdrawing groups were incorporated into the meta position of tropone-substituted 3-phenyl-2-oxazolidinones and their influence on antibacterial activity examined. Consideration of in vitro and in vivo test results indicated that one or two fluorine atoms flanking the para tropone appendage is the optimum arrangement for these compounds. Synthetic routes to enantiomerically enriched analogues are reported.