Identification of (N-aryl-N-arylsulfonyl)aminoacetohydroxamic acids as novel urease inhibitors and the mechanism exploration

Abstract

Thirty-three (N-aryl-N-arylsulfonyl)aminoacetohydroxamic acids were synthesized in an effort to develop novel urease inhibitors. Among these compounds, 2-(N-(3-nitrophenyl)-N-(4-tert-butylphenylsulfonyl))aminoacetohydroxamic acid (e2) exhibited excellent inhibitory activity against Helicobacter pylori urease with no perceptible cytotoxicity to mammalian cells. Compound e2 showed over 690-fold higher potency than the clinical used urease inhibitor acetohydroxamic acid, reversibly inhibiting urease with a mixed mechanism. Molecular modeling revealed that (N-aryl-N-arylsulfonyl)aminoacetohydroxamic acids may possibly bind Ni ions and two hydrophobic regions with a 'Y'-like shape.