Pyrrolidinone and pyrrolidine derivatives: Evaluation as inhibitors of InhA and Mycobacterium tuberculosis

A series of GEQ analogues bearing pyrrolidinone or pyrrolidine cores were synthesized and evaluated against InhA, essential target for Mycobacterium tuberculosis (M.tb) survival. The compounds were also evaluated against M.tb H37Rv growth. Interestingly, some of the compounds, not efficient as InhA inhibitors, are active against M.tb with MICs up to 1.4 μM. In particular, compound 4b was screened with different M.tb mutated strains in order to identify the cellular target, but without success, suggesting a new possible mode of action.