Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 3, 2026

Production and Testing of Antimicrobial Peptides and Their Mimics
Published on: April 10, 2026
Synthesis of 3-acyltetramates by side chain manipulation and their antibacterial activity
Song Wei Benjamin Tan1, Christina L L Chai, Mark G Moloney
1The Department of Chemistry, Chemistry Research Laboratory, The University of Oxford, 12 Mansfield Road, Oxford OX1 3TA, UK. mark.moloney@chem.ox.ac.uk.
Abstract:
An efficient approach for the introduction of 3-acyl side chain groups onto a core tetramate system, which are suitable for further manipulation by nucleophilic displacement or Horner-Wadsworth-Emmons coupling, provides access to a diverse library of substituted tetramates related to two distinct classes of natural products, equisetin and pramanicin. Assessment against S. aureus and E. coli indicated that some compounds exhibit significant antibacterial activity, providing unusual leads for further optimisation in the drug discovery process.
Related Concept Videos
Inhibitors of Gram-positive Cell Wall Synthesis
Inhibitors of Bacterial Protein Synthesis
Production of Antibiotics
Inhibitors of Bacterial DNA Synthesis
Combined Effects of Drugs: Synergism
Such synergistic combinations...
Preparation of Alkynes: Alkylation Reaction
Alkylation of terminal alkynes with primary alkyl halides in the presence of a strong base like sodium amide is one of the common methods for the synthesis of longer carbon-chain alkynes. For example, treatment of 1-propyne with sodium amide followed by reaction with ethyl bromide yields 2-pentyne.

