S-Farnesyl-Thiopropionic Acid (FTPA) Triazoles as Potent Inhibitors of Isoprenylcysteine Carboxyl Methyltransferase

We report the design and synthesis of novel FTPA-triazole compounds as potent inhibitors of isoprenylcysteine carboxyl methyltransferase (ICMT), through a focus on thioether and isoprenoid mimetics. These mimetics were coupled utilizing a copper-assisted cycloaddition to assemble the potential inhibitors. Using the resulting triazole from the coupling as an isoprenyl mimetic resulted in the biphenyl substituted FTPA triazole 10n. This lipid-modified analog is a potent inhibitor of ICMT (IC(50) = 0.8 ± 0.1 μM; calculated K(i) = 0.4 μM).