Inhibition stereochemistry of hydroxamate inhibitors for thermolysin

N-Acyl-N-hydroxy-β-amino acid derivatives were prepared and tested as inhibitors for thermolysin to find that these inhibitors show the -stereospecificity in contrast to the corresponding hydroxamates prepared from α-amino acid, which exhibit the -stereochemistry. N-Formyl-N-hydroxy-β- -Phe-NHMe is the most potent inhibitor having the Ki value of 1.66 μM.