Molecular recognition by acetylcholinesterase at the peripheral anionic site: Structure-activity relationships for inhibitions by aryl carbamates

Substituted phenyl-N-butyl carbamates (1-9) are potent irreversible inhibit ors of Electrophorus electricus acetylcholinesterase. Carbamates 1-9 act as the peripheral anionic site-directed irreversible inhibitors of acetylchol inesterase by the stop-time assay in the presence of a competitive inhibito r, edrophonium. Linear relationships between the logarithms of the dissocia tion constant of the enzyme-inhibitor adduct (K-i), the inactivation consta nt of the enzyme-inhibitor adduct (k(2)), and the bimolecular inhibition co nstant (k(i)) for the inhibition of Electrophorus electricus acetylcholines terase by carbamates 1-9 and the Hammett substituent constant (sigma), are observed, and the reaction constants (rho s) are -1.36, 0.35 and -1.01, res pectively. Therefore, the above reaction may form a positive charged enzyme -inhibitor intermediate at the peripheral anionic site of the enzyme and ma y follow the irreversible inactivation by a conformational change of the en zyme. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.