N-aryl sulfonyl homocysteine hydroxamate inhibitors of matrix metalloproteinases:: further probing of the S1, S1′, and S2′ pockets

A series of N-arylsulfonyl S-alkyl homocysteine hydroxamic acids were synthesized with variations in three subsites corresponding to P-1, P-1', and P-2'. Enzyme assays with a variety of MMPs revealed activity at the low nanomolar level.