SYNTHESIS AND INHIBITION OF HUMAN-LEUKOCYTE ELASTASE BY FUNCTIONALIZED N-ARYL AZETIDIN-2-ONES - EFFECT OF DIFFERENT SUBSTITUENTS ON THE AROMATIC RING

N-aryl-3,3-difluoroazetidin-2-ones featured by a latent electrophilic methylene quinoniminium function have been synthesized and evaluated a s inhibitors of human leucocyte elastase. To promote hydrophobic inter actions with the enzyme, to increase the rates of beta-lactam ring ope ning and of benzylic group departure, or to induce hydrosolubility, th ese compounds incorporate on their aromatic ring either an alkyl moiet y, a methoxy substituent or a carboxylic group. Some of these beta-lac tams proved to be good inactivators of human leucocyte elastase.