The discovery of N-1 substituted 2-aminobenzimidazoles as zinc-dependent S. aureus biofilm inhibitors

A diverse 23-compound library of N-1 substituted 2-aminobenzimidazoles was synthesized via an efficient three-step process. This small library produced several non-toxic biofilm modulators of two strains of MRSA. Preliminary mechanistic studies reveal a zinc-dependent mode of action for these compounds.