The in vitro activity of four 2-nitropropene derivatives, 1-(3-benzothienyl)-2-nitropropene (N1), 1-(3-thienyl)-2-nitropropene (N2), 1-(5-bromo-2-thienyl)-2-nitropropene (N3) and 1-(4-bromo-2-thienyl)-2-nitropropene (N4), were tested against cultures of the parasite Trypanosoma cruzi. Cytotoxicity studies were performed using Vero cells. The blood trypomastigotes, amastigotes and epimastigotes showed differential degrees of sensitivity towards the four tested compounds; the highest activity against the epimastigotes and blood tripomastigotes was exhibited by N1, followed by N3, N4 and finally N2. In contrast, whereas the compounds N1, N3 and N4 exerted similar magnitudes of activity against amastigotes, N2 was found to be a much less potent compound. According to our results, the compound N1 had the highest level of activity (IC50: 0.6 μM) against epimastigotes.

The crystal and molecular structures of (E)-1-(3,4,5-trimethoxyphenyl)-2-nitroethene (1), C11H13NO5, Mr = 239.2, and (E)-1-(3,4,5-trimethoxyphenyl)-2-nitropropene (2), C12H15NO5, Mr = 253.3, were determined by X-ray diffraction. Compound 1: monoclinic, space group P21/c, a = 7.429(2), b = 9.828(3), c = 32.766(2) Å, <FONT FACE=Symbol>b</FONT> = 95.65(2)°, V = 2381(1) Å3, Z = 8. Compound 2: monoclinic, space group P21/c, a = 8.888(3), b = 13.650(3), c = 10.369(3) Å, <FONT FACE=Symbol>b</FONT> = 94.04(2)°, V = 1255(1) Å3, Z = 4. Compound 1 exhibits no unusual structural features. Compound 2 shows a side chain out of the ring plane and with expanded valence angles

Las estructuras cristalinas y moleculares de (E)-1-(3,4,5-trimetoxifenil)-2-nitroeteno (1), C11H13NO5, Mr = 239,2 y (E)-1-(3,4,5-trimetoxifenil)-2-nitropropeno (2), C12H15NO5, Mr = 253,3, fueron determinadas por difracción de rayos X. El compuesto 1 es monoclínico, grupo espacial P21/c, a = 7,429(2), b = 9,828(3), c = 32,766(2) Å, <FONT FACE=Symbol>b</FONT> = 95,65(2)°, V = 2381(1) Å3, Z = 8. El compuesto 2 es monoclínico, grupo espacial P21/c, a = 8,888(3), b = 13,650(3), c = 10,369(3) Å, <FONT FACE=Symbol>b</FONT> = 94,04(2)°, V = 1255(1) Å3, Z = 4. El compuesto 1 no presenta rasgos inusuales en su estructura molecular. El compuesto 2 tiene la cadena lateral fuera del plano del anillo y con los ángulos de valencia expandidos