Discovery and modification of sulfur-containing heterocyclic pyrazoline derivatives as potential novel class of β-ketoacyl-acyl carrier protein synthase III (FabH) inhibitors

Abstract A series of sulfur-containing heterocyclic pyrazoline derivatives ( C1–C18 ; D1–D9 ) have been synthesized and purified (all are new except one) to be screened for FabH inhibitory activity. Compound C14 showed the most potent biological activity against Escherichia coli , Pseudomonas aeruginosa , Staphylococcus aureus and Bacillus subtilis (MIC values: 1.56–3.13 μg/mL), being comparable with the positive control, while D6 performed the best in the thiazolidinone series (MIC values: 3.13–6.25 μg/mL). They also demonstrated strong broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity. Compounds C14 and D6 exhibited the most potent E. coli FabH inhibitory activity with IC 50 of 4.6 and 8.4 μM, respectively, comparable with the positive control DDCP (IC 50  = 2.8 μM). Docking simulation was performed to position compound C14 and D6 into the E. coli FabH structure active site to determine the probable binding model. The structurally modification of previous compounds and the attempt in innovative target have brought a positive progress.