Synthesis Of A Nitrogen Analogue Of Salacinol And Its Alpha-Glucosidase Inhibitory Activity

A nitrogen analogue 4 of the naturally occurring sulfonium ion salacinol (1), a potent alpha -glucosidase inhibitor isolated from the Ayruvedic medicine Salacia reticulata, was synthesized and its inhibitory activity against alpha -glucosidase tested. Substitution of the sulfur atom in I with a nitrogen reduced the activity considerably. The solid-state stereostructure of the related compound (5) was determined on the basis of single crystal X-ray measurement.