Synthesis and biological evaluation of some furanones as putative chitinase inhibitors

Analogs of naturally occurring furanones that were reported to be weak inhibitors of Serratia marcescens chitinases were prepared and tested towards various chitinases. Some of these compounds - but not the natural products - were found to be weak but selective inhibitors; all glycosylated analogs tested were inactive. Activation of the plant enzyme hevamine was observed in one case. which is unusual.