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The solution-phase parallel synthesis of tethered dimers was employed to identify lead inhibitors of bacterial NAD synthetase. Active dimers contained two aromatic end groups joined by a polymethylene linker, with one end group containing a permanent positive charge. Effective inhibitors of NAD synthetase also inhibited the growth of Gram-positive (but not Gram-negative) bacteria, including antibiotic-resistant strains. The desmethyl precursors of active inhibitors lacked a permanent positive charge and were inactive as either enzyme inhibitors or antibacterial agents. Similarly, a close structural analogue of the most active inhibitors contained two additional ether oxygens in the tether and was inactive in both assays. These results are consistent with the premise that NAD synthetase inhibition is responsible for the antibacterial actions and support further studies on NAD synthetase as a new target for antibacterial agents.

The preparation, spectroscopic characterization, and magnetic study of three new oxamidate-bridged nickel(II) dinuclear complexes of formulas ([Ni(Me3[12]aneN3)]2(mu-oa))(PF6)2 (1), ([Ni(Me3[12]aneN3)]2(mu-dmoa))(PF6)2 (2), and ([Ni(Me3[12]aneN3)]2(mu-dpoa))(PF6)2 (3) (Me3[12]aneN3 = 2,4,4-trimethyl-1,5,9-triazacyclododec-1-ene, oa = oxamidate, dmoa = N,N'-dimethyloxamidate, and dpoa = N,N'-diphenyloxamidate) are reported. The crystal structures of two of them (1 and 3) have been determined. 1 and 3 crystallize in the monoclinic system, space group P2(1)/c, with Z = 2 and a = 7.901(4) A, b = 13.597(6) A, c = 17.565(10) A, and beta = 96.46(4) degrees for 1 and a = 13.854(3) A, b = 17.469(4) A, c = 12.543(3) A, and beta = 116.22(3) degrees for 3. The structures of 1 and 3 consist of dinuclear ([Ni(Me3[12]aneN3)]2(mu-oa))2+ and ([Ni(Me3[12]aneN3)]2(mu-dpoa))2+ cations and hexafluorophosphate anions. Each nickel in 1-3 is five-coordinate, and the substitution of the hydrogen atom of the amidate nitrogen of 1 by a methyl (2) or a phenyl (3) group causes a significant modification of the stereochemistry of the nickel(II) ions from square pyramidal toward trigonal bipyramidal (tau values of 0.12 and 0.48 for 1 and 3, respectively). The NOESY spectrum of 3 has allowed us to achieve the assignment of the phenyl protons of the N,N'-diphenyloxamidate. The value of magnetic coupling between the two nickel(II) ions across the oxamidate bridge [J = -57.0 (oa, 1), -38.0 (dmoa, 2) and -30.5 cm(-1) (dpoa, 3)] is very sensitive to this stereochemical change, and its variation is explained on the basis of orbital considerations. DFT type calculations have been performed to analyze and substantiate the trend of the magnetic coupling in 1-3.