Abstract By targeting the ThDP binding site of Escherichia coli PDHc-E1, two new 'open- chain'classes of E. coli PDHc-E1 inhibitors, amide and urea derivatives, were designed, synthesized, and evaluated. The amide derivatives of compound 6d, with 4-NO 2 in the benzene ring, showed the most potent inhibition of E. coli PDHc-E1. The urea derivatives displayed more potent inhibitory activity than the corresponding amide derivatives with the ...