New Chromane-Based Derivatives as Inhibitors of <i>Mycobacterium tuberculosis</i> Salicylate Synthase (MbtI): Preliminary Biological Evaluation and Molecular Modeling Studies

Tuberculosis is the leading cause of death from a single infectious agent worldwide; therefore, the need for new antitubercular drugs is desperate. The recently validated target salicylate synthase MbtI is the first enzyme involved in the biosynthesis of mycobactins, compounds able to chelate iron, an essential cofactor for the survival of Mycobacterium tuberculosis in the host. Here, we report on the synthesis and biological evaluation of chromane-based compounds as new potential inhibitors of MbtI. Our approach successfully allowed the identification of a novel lead compound ( 1 ), endowed with a promising activity against this enzyme (IC 50 = 55 μM). Molecular modeling studies were performed in order to evaluate the binding mode of 1 and rationalize the preliminary structure-activity relationships, thus providing crucial information to carry out further optimization studies.