In vitro reactivation potency of novel symmetrical bis-pyridinium oximes for electric eel acetylcholinesterase inhibited by nerve agent sarin.

This communication describes synthesis and in vitro evaluation of a series of novel bis-pyridinium oximes connected by bis-methoxymethyl benzene, 1,4-bis-methoxymethyl (cis)-but-2-ene and 1,4-bis-methoxymethyl but-2-yne linkers as reactivators of sarin inhibited acetylcholinesterase (AChE). The reactivation data of synthesized oximes were compared with those of 2-PAM and obidoxime. The efficacy of oximes such as 1,4-dimethoxy cis-but-2-ene bis-[4,4'-(hydroxyiminomethyl)-pyridinium] dichloride (3g), 1,4-dimethoxy benzene bis-[3,3'-(hydroxyimino-methyl) pyridinium] dichloride (3b) and 1,3-dimethoxy benzene bis-[3,3'-(hydroxy-iminomethyl) pyridinium] dichloride (3e) were found to be more than that of obidoxime in reactivating sarin inhibited AChE. The oxime 3g was able to reactivate 25% of AChE activity in comparison to 20% and 5% reactivation exhibited by 2-PAM and obidoxime respectively at a concentration of 10(-4) M. The pKa of the oximes were determined and correlated with the reactivation potential.