UoZ‑8–Catalyzed Synthesis of an Azo‑Chalcone With Microwave Acceleration: Structure Confirmation, DFT Descriptors, and PASS‑Predicted Bioactivity

Abstract

A Zn‐based metal–organic framework, UoZ‐8, was applied as a heterogeneous catalyst for the synthesis of an azo‐chalcone through Claisen–Schmidt condensation under conventional thermal and microwave‐assisted conditions. Microwave irradiation provided a cleaner and more efficient route than the conventional method, reducing the reaction time from 28 to 2 h, decreasing solvent volume and catalyst loading, and increasing the yield from 80% to 94%. The catalyst was readily separated by filtration, although detailed multi‐cycle recyclability and post‐reaction stability studies remain necessary to confirm long‐term reusability. The product structure was confirmed by FTIR, Raman, NMR, LRMS/GC‐MS, and diagnostic fragmentation analysis. DFT calculations, including frontier orbitals, DOS/MEP, and global reactivity descriptors, revealed a donor–acceptor π‐conjugated scaffold with HOMO and LUMO energies of −6.83 and −2.24 eV, respectively, and a 4.59 eV gap. PASS and pkCSM analyses provided preliminary computational bioactivity and toxicity indicators. UV–vis absorption and fluorescence spectroscopy further suggested moderate, tentative interaction between azo‐chalcone 5 and DNA, requiring future validation.