Non-thiol farnesyltransferase inhibitors: utilization of an aryl binding site by 5-arylacryloylaminobenzophenones

We recently described a novel aryl binding site of farnesyltransferase. The 2-naphthylacryloyl residue was developed as an appropriate substituent for our benzophenone-based AAX-peptidomimetic capable of occupying this binding site, resulting in a non-thiol farnesyltransferase inhibitor with nanomolar activity. The activity of this inhibitor is readily explained on the basis of docking studies which show the 2-naphthyl residue fitting into the aryl binding site.