Disclosed herein are compounds of formula Ar.sup.1--X--W--Ar.sup.2 wherein
Ar.sup.1 and Ar.sup.2 represent aryl groups characterized generally as
aromatic heterocycles (e.g. imidazolyl or tetrazolyl) or carbocycles
(e.g. phenyl or naphthalenyl); the aryl groups are optionally substituted
or fused with other heterocycles or carbocycles; the aryl groups can bear
substituents such as alkyl, halo or O-alkyl. X is a heteroatom, a valence
bond or an optionally substituted divalent methylene, and W represents a
spacer; typical spacers include divalent alkylene or alkylene-amido,
-amido or -oxy radicals, which may optionally be substituted (e.g.
hydroxyl or oxo). A typical compound is a derivative of
2-(N-napthalenyltetrazolylthio)-N-(2-nitrophenyl)acetamide. The compounds
have inhibitory activity against Wild Type and single or double mutant
strains of HIV.
