Enzyme inhibition through mimicry of the transition state is a major area for the design of new therapeutic agents. Emerging evidence suggests that many retaining glycosidases that are active on alpha- or beta-mannosides harness unusual B2,5 (boat) transition states. Here we present the analysis of 25 putative beta-mannosidase inhibitors, whose Ki values range from nanomolar to millimolar, on the Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron beta-mannosidase BtMan2A. B2,5 or closely related conformations were observed for all tightly binding compounds. Subsequent linear free energy relationships that correlate log Ki with log Km/kcat for a series of active center variants highlight aryl-substituted mannoimidazoles as powerful transition state mimics in which the binding energy of the aryl group enhances both binding and the degree of transition state mimicry. Support for a B2,5 transition state during enzymatic beta-mannosidase hydrolysis should also facilitate the design and exploitation of transition state mimics for the inhibition of retaining alpha-mannosidases--an area that is emerging for anticancer therapeutics.

Microwave irradiations allow the preparation of unsaturated bambusurils in 85% yield compared to 20% yield under classical reaction conditions. Five new bambusurils were synthesized including unsaturated derivatives Allyl(8)BU[4] and Allyl(12)BU[6] bearing diallylglycoluril units. The reactivity of Allyl(8)BU[4] was tested in a variety of organic reactions showing that this macrocycle acts as a classical double bond-bearing product. The first monofunctionalized bambusuril Allyl(7)HepBU[4] prepared by a cross metathesis reaction is also reported.

A series of monocyclic glycoamidines bearing different exocyclic amine, alcohol, or alkyl functionalities and bicyclic amidines derived from D-glucose and D-mannose were synthesized and tested as inhibitors of various glycosidases. All the prepared compounds demonstrated good to excellent inhibition toward glycosidases. In particular, the biscationic D-mannoamidine 9b bearing an exocyclic ethylamine moiety proved to be a selective competitive inhibitor of alpha- and beta-mannosidases (K(i) = 6 nM) making it the most potent inhibitor of these glycosidases reported to date. A favorable B(2,5) boat conformation might explain the selectivity of mannosidase inhibition compared to other glycosidases.