Hepatitis C virus NS3 protease inhibitors comprising a novel aromatic P1 moiety

Inhibition of the hepatitis C virus (HCV) NS3 protease has emerged as an attractive approach to defeat the global hepatitis C epidemic. In this work, we present the synthesis and biochemical evaluation of HCV NS3 protease inhibitors comprising a non-natural aromatic P(1) moiety. A series of inhibitors with aminobenzoyl sulfonamides displaying submicromolar potencies in the full-length NS3 protease assay was prepared through a microwave-irradiated, palladium-catalyzed, amidocarbonylation protocol.