Synthesis of glycosylated beta-amino acids as new class of antitubercular agents.

A series of glycosylated beta-amino acids was prepared and evaluated against Mycobacterium tuberculosis, M. avium, M. fortuitum and M. smegmatis. The compounds were designed to mimic the enzyme D-alanine racemase and glycosyl transferase involved in the biosynthesis of essential cell wall peptidoglycan and arabinogalactan. Though most of the compounds exhibited little activity, however, one showed significant activity against all the strains in cell culture and activity was confirmed by BACTEC method. Copyright 2002 Editions scienctifiques et médicales Elsevier SAS