Study on hydroxamic acids and their urease inhibitory potency by quantum chemistry calculation.

The electronic structures of 34 hydroxamic acids [R-(CONHCH2(n-CONHOH, R = aromatic or aliphatic, n = 1 or 0] were calculated by the INDO method and their urease inhibitory potencies were discussed in terms of the calculated electronic parameters and molar refraction. The charge distribution of -CONHOH residue which has been expected as a functional group for inhibition slightly be affected by the change of R - moiety and by the presence or absence of the -CONHCH2- residue. The best improved regression equation indicated that the inhibitory potency of hydroxamic acids was parabolically varied with the molar refraction and that the increase of the inhibitory potency by the presence of -CONHCH2- residue was explained by the variation of the charge density of a carbon atom directly bonding the -CONHOH group.