Novel, lipophilic derivatives of 2,5-dideoxy-2,5-imino- -mannitol (DMDP) are powerful β-glucosidase inhibitors

Novel derivatives of the -glucosidase inhibitor 2,5-dideoxy-2,5-imino- -mannitol bearing lipophilic aliphatic or aromatic amides attached to C-1 have been found to inhibit β-glucosidase from Agrobacterium sp. in the nanomolar range. One of them, a coumarin derivative, ranks amongst the most active compounds in the class of reversible glycosidase inhibitors of the iminoalditol type.