Inhibition of α-chymotrypsin with thiol-bearing substrate analogues in the presence of zinc ion

We have demonstrated that thiol-bearing analogues of α-chymotrysin (α-CT) substrates such as (S)-(1-benzyl-2-thiolethyl)-carbamic acid, benzyl ester (3) inhibits α-CT, a prototypical serine protease, in the presence of Zn(II) ion. They constitute a novel class of small molecule inhibitors for α-CT believed to inhibit the enzyme by forming a ternary complex consisting of α-CT, Zn(II) ion, and the inhibitor.