A series of Argatroban analogs, 3-6, in which the guanidino group was
replaced by amino-substituted heterocycles of decreasing basicity were
prepared and evaluated for their ability to inhibit human alpha-throm
bin. Basicity was found to be important in determining inhibitory pote
ncy. Aminopyridine analog 3b (pK(a) similar to 7) afforded the most po
tent inhibition (I(50)approximate to 0.47 mu M) and exhibited enhanced
Caco-2 cell permeability.