Chemical - describe the procedures used to synthesize three compounds (9a, 9b, 9c) with 4, 5, or 6-methylene linker length respectively, but with the same biphenyl cap and hydroxamate zinc-binding motifs. In order to obtain 9a, 9b, 9c, we synthesized intermediate linker compounds (3a, 3b, 7) terminated by a hydrazide on one side and a hydroxamic acid on the other side (, ). Acyl hydrazones 9a, 9b and 9c were synthesized according to by difluoroacetic acid catalyzed condensation of the biphenyl aldehyde (8) with hydrazides 3a, 3b and 7, respectively. Compound 9b corresponds to the previously characterized crebinostat. The physicochemical properties of synthesized compounds are shown in and . Analytical LC-MS spectra for these compounds are included in .