The Preparation and the Antibacterial and Antifungal Properties of Some Substituted Benzyl Alcohols

Abstract
A number of substituted benzyl alcohols have been prepared and together with some related, commercially available, compounds have been tested for antibacterial and antifungal properties. The most active inhibitory compound was 3:4:5-trichlorobenzyl alcohol followed by 4-chloro-3:5-dimethyl-, 3:4-dichloro- and 2:4-dichlorobenzyl alcohols, but saturated aqueus solutions of the last three compounds were more rapidly bactericidal. Pharmacological tests have shown that 2:4-dichlorobenzyl alcohol has low toxicity.