Dithiolopyrrolones are Prochelators that are Activated by Glutathione.

Dithiolopyrrolones (DTPs), such as holomycin, are natural products that hold promise as scaffolds for antibiotics as they exhibit inhibitory activity against antibiotic-resistant pathogens. They consist of a unique bicyclic core containing a disulfide that is crucial for their biological activity. Herein, we establish the DTPs as prochelators.