Using knowledge of the substrate specificity of cPLA2 (phospholipases A2), a novel series of inhibitors of this enzyme were designed based upon a three point model of inhibitor binding to the enzyme active site comprising a lipophilic anchor, an electrophilic serine “trap”, and an acidic binding moiety. The resulting 1, 3-diheteroatom-substituted propan-2-ones were evaluated as inhibitors of cPLA2 in both aggregated bilayer and soluble substrate assays. ...