A series of biphenyl analogues of the new tuberculosis drug PA-824 was prepared, primarily by coupling the known (6S)-2-nitro-6,7-dihydro-5H-imidazo[2,1-b][1,3]oxazin-6-ol with iodobenzyl halides, followed by Suzuki coupling of these iodides with appropriate arylboronic acids or by assembly of the complete biaryl side chain prior to coupling with the above alcohol. Antitubercular activity was determined under both replicating (MABA) and nonreplicating (LORA) conditions. para-Linked biaryls were the most active, followed by meta-linked and then ortho-linked analogues. A more detailed study of a larger group of para-linked analogues showed a significant correlation between potency (MABA) and both lipophilicity (CLOGP) and the electron-withdrawing properties of terminal ring substituents ( summation operatorsigma). Selected compounds were evaluated for their efficacy in a mouse model of acute Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection. In vivo activity correlated well with the stability of compounds to microsomal metabolism. Three compounds bearing combinations of lipophilic, electron-withdrawing groups achieved >200-fold higher efficacies than the parent drug.

New heterocyclic analogues of the potent biphenyl class derived from antitubercular drug PA-824 were prepared, aiming to improve aqueous solubility but maintain high metabolic stability and efficacy. The strategy involved replacement of one or both phenyl groups by pyridine, pyridazine, pyrazine, or pyrimidine, in order to reduce lipophilicity. For para-linked biaryls, hydrophilicities (ClogP) correlated with measured solubilities, but highly soluble bipyridine analogues displayed weak antitubercular activities. A terminal pyridine or proximal heterocycle allowed retention of potency and provided solubility improvements, particularly at low pH, with examples from the latter classes displaying the better in vivo efficacies, high metabolic stabilities, and excellent pharmacokinetics. Five such compounds were >100-fold better than the parent drug in a mouse model of acute Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection, and two orally bioavailable pyridine analogues (3-4-fold more soluble than the parent at low pH) were superior to antitubercular drug OPC-67683 in a chronic infection model.

Recently described biphenyl analogues of the antituberculosis drug PA-824 displayed improved potencies against M. tuberculosis but were poorly soluble. Heterobiaryl analogues of these, in which the first phenyl ring was replaced with various 5-membered ring heterocycles, were prepared with the aim of identifying potent new candidates with improved aqueous solubility. The compounds were constructed by coupling the chiral 2-nitroimidazooxazine alcohol with various halomethyl-substituted arylheterocycles, by cycloadditions to a propargyl ether derivative of this alcohol, or by Suzuki couplings on haloheterocyclic methyl ether derivatives. The arylheterocyclic compounds were all more hydrophilic than their corresponding biphenyl analogues, and several showed solubility improvements. 1-Methylpyrazole, 1,3-linked-pyrazole, 2,4-linked-triazole, and tetrazole analogues had 3- to 7-fold higher MIC potencies against replicating M. tb than predicted by their lipophilicities. Two pyrazole analogues were >10-fold more efficacious than the parent drug in a mouse model of acute M. tb infection, and one displayed a 2-fold higher solubility.