Synthesis Towards Straight Chain Borinic Acids as Potential HIV-1 Protease Inhibitors

There are 34 million people currently infected with HIV. The only treatment available involves merely slowing the development of HIV into AIDS. This is done with a cocktail of antiretroviral drugs. A drug of this type is a protease inhibitor. HIV-1 protease is an enzyme responsible for the release of mature HIV viral particles into the body. A cocktail of drugs is necessary because the virus will continually mutate and develop resistance to the antiretroviral drug. HIV-1 protease eventually becomes resistant to the inhibitors and new inhibitors are needed. The goal of this research is to develop a synthesis for a potential HIV-1 protease inhibitor which mimics the transition state analog of the natural substrate, and in turn interferes with the viral life cycle. These boronated compounds should provide better HIV treatment that has fewer side effects, increased affinity for the enzyme, and demonstrates greater affinity for the mutated forms of the enzyme as well