N-Bridged 1-deoxynojirimycin dimers as selective insect trehalase inhibitors

•We designed and synthesized a small set of N-bridged 1-deoxynojirimycin dimers.•Dimers were tested as inhibitors of insect and porcine trehalase and α-amylase.•All the synthesized compounds were inactive against α-amylase.•All compounds proved to be active and selective toward the insect glycosidase.

A small set of N-bridged 1-deoxynojirimycin dimers has been synthesized and evaluated as potential inhibitors of insect trehalase from midge larvae of Chironomus riparius, porcine trehalase as the mammalian counterpart and α-amylase from human saliva. All the tested compounds (2–4) proved to be active (micromolar range activity) against insect trehalase, showing selectivity toward the insect glycosidase. No activity was observed against α-amylase.

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