The synthesis and evaluation of a refined series of α-ketoheterocycles based on the oxazole 2 (OL-135) incorporating systematic changes in the central heterocycle bearing a key set of added substituents are described. The nature of the central heterocycle, even within the systematic and minor perturbations explored herein, significantly influenced the inhibitor activity: 1, 3, 4-oxadiazoles and 1, 2, 4-oxadiazoles 9> tetrazoles, the isomeric 1, 2, 4- ...