Inhibition of restriction enzymes EcoRI, BamHI and HindIII by phenethylphenylphthalimides derived from thalidomide.

We discovered inhibitors of the restriction enzymes EcoRI, BamHI and HindIII by screening our library of compounds with a phenethylphenylphthalimide skeleton, based on α-glucosidase inhibitors and liver X receptor antagonists derived from thalidomide. Structural development afforded the potent restriction enzyme inhibitors 25 and 26.