Antimicrobial properties of organosulfur anti-infectives: a review of patent literature 1999-2005.

The number of organosulfur compounds being patented has been growing. A wide variety of these organosulfur compounds, whether naturally occurring or synthetic, exhibit antibacterial properties. Mechanistically, organosulfur groups can act as metal chelators, powerful nucleophiles or electrophiles depending on the local environment in which a given reaction occurs. In this review of the patent literature from 1999-2005, the reliance of these compounds on the reaction of the sulfur moiety with its biological target(s) will be discussed with regards to activity, specificity, and antimicrobial spectrum.