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[Image: see text] Glycogen synthase kinase-3β (GSK3β) is involved in many pathological conditions and represents an attractive drug target. We previously reported dual GSK3β/p38α mitogen-activated protein kinase inhibitors and identified N-(4-(4-(4-fluorophenyl)-2-methyl-1H-imidazol-5-yl)pyridin-2-yl)cyclopropanecarboxamide (1) as a potent dual inhibitor of both target kinases. In this study, we aimed to design selective GSK3β inhibitors based on our pyridinylimidazole scaffold. Our efforts resulted in several novel and potent GSK3β inhibitors with IC(50) values in the low nanomolar range. 5-(2-(Cyclopropanecarboxamido)pyridin-4-yl)-4-cyclopropyl-1H-imidazole-2-carboxamide (6g) displayed very good kinase selectivity as well as metabolical stability and inhibited GSK3β activity in neuronal SH-SY5Y cells. Interestingly, we observed the importance of the 2-methylimidazole’s tautomeric state for the compound activity. Finally, we reveal how this crucial tautomerism effect is surmounted by imidazole-2-carboxamides, which are able to stabilize the binding via enhanced water network interactions, regardless of their tautomeric state.

The title compound, which crystallized as a methanol monosolvate, C41H27FN6O5S·CH3OH, was synthesized as a probe for a fluorescence polarization-based competition binding assay. The isobenzofuran fused-ring system is close to planar and orientated almost perpendicular to the central ring of the xanthene system. The dihedral angle between the benzene rings of the xanthene system is 10.0 (2)°, indicating a butterfly-like orientation. A short intramolecular C—F...π contact [F...π = 3.100 (4) Å and C—F...π = 139.9 (3)°] to the six-membered ring of the isobenzofuran system may influence the molecular conformation. The methanol solvent molecule is disordered over two orientations in a 0.6:0.4 ratio. In the crystal, the components are linked by numerous hydrogen bonds, generating a three-dimensional network.