Potent and selective inhibitors of bacterial methionyl tRNA synthetase derived from an oxazolone-dipeptide scaffold

The preparation and structure-activity relationships (SARs) of potent and selective small molecule inhibitors of bacterial methionyl-tRNA synthetase (MetRS) derived from an oxazolone-dipeptide scaffold are described. Examples combine Staphylococcus aureus MetRS (SaMetRS) potency with selectivity over human MetRS. As a result of the SAR expansion compound 14a was identified, as a potent SaMetRS inhibitor (IC(50)=18 nM) having moderate inhibition of MetRS derived from Enterococci faecalis (IC(50)=3.51 microM).