Microwave-assisted synthesis of sulfonamides

Sulfonamides are an important class of compounds with a broad array of biological and pharmacological activities [1]. Drugs containing a sulfonamide moiety have wide-ranging applications in many areas of clinical medicine, as they act as effective antibacterials, diuretics, anticonvulsants, hypoglycemics and HIV protease inhibitors [2]. Recently, sulfonamides have been shown to be potent carbonic anhydrase [3], matrix metalloproteinase [4] and 11β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 1 inhibitors [5].The preparation of sulfonamides is normally achieved by reacting an amine with a substituted sulfonyl chloride or anhydride where a buffering base in an aprotic solvent is present .