Novel modifications in the series of O-(2-phthalimidoethyl)-N-substituted thiocarbamates and their ring-opened congeners as non-nucleoside HIV-1 reverse transcriptase inhibitors

The structure-activity relationships (SARs) of N-aryl-O-(2-phthalimidoethyl)thiocarbamates (C-TCs) and their imide ring-opened congeners (O-TCs) as non-nucleoside HIV-1 reverse transcriptase inhibitors were further investigated. The SAR strategy involved modifications of the N-phenyl ring followed by the hybridization of the most promising N-aryl and O-(2-phthalimidoethyl)substructures. The role of stereochemistry and tert-butyl substitution of the phthalimidoethyl moiety on activity was also investigated. Seventy-six analogues were prepared by parallel solution-phase synthesis. Twenty-two C-TCs displayed nanomolar activity against wild-type HIV-1 and a number of analogues were effective against the Y181C mutant. Compound 56 combined the highest activity so far identified against Y181C (EC50=1.3 mu M) with good potency against the K103R mutant (EC50=4.8 mu M). Docking simulations helped to rationalize the SARs. (c) 2008 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.