Synthesis, characterization, and in silico analysis against SARS CoV-2 of novel benzimidazolium salts

Abstract In acute conditions, vaccines are very important, although they provide antibodies for fighting against COVID-19 for a certain period. It is necessary to produce an anti-viral agent for a usual healing process against SARS CoV-2 which is responsible the pandemic we are living in. Many drugs with benzimidazole main scaffold are still used in a wide variety of treatment procedures. In this case, substituted benzimidazole structures could be good candidates for fighting against COVID-19. Theoretical calculation methods could be a key tool for overcome the difficulties of individual analyzing of each new structure. In this study, new benzimidazole structures were synthesized and characterized for in silico evaluation as anti-viral agent. The molecules were optimized and analyzed for reactivity with Koopmans Theorem. Also, molecular docking simulations were performed for SARS coronavirus main peptidase (PDB ID: 2GTB), COVID-19 main protease (PDB ID: 5R82), and papain-like protease of SARS CoV-2 (PDB ID: 6W9C) crystals.