Stereoselective synthesis and receptor binding of conformationally restricted and flexible 2,4-disubstituted 1,3-dioxanes derived from benzomorphans.

The key steps in the stereoselective synthesis of the tricyclic aminomethyl derivatives 19 and 20 and the aminoethyl substituted 1,3-dioxanes 24 and 25 are nucleophilic addition of aryllithium intermediates to the nitroalkene 13, intramolecular transacetalization of the addition products 15 and 16 (only for the tricyclic derivatives 19 and 20) and subsequent reduction of the nitro group. The affinities of the secondary and tertiary amines 19c,d, 20c,d, 24c,d, and 25c,d for the ion channel binding site of the NMDA receptor, for mu-, kappa-, and sigma-receptors have been investigated. In the group of tricyclic compounds only 19d shows remarkable sigma-receptor affinity (Ki = 21.6/1.10 microM). In the 1,3-dioxane series the moderate mu- (Ki = 27.8 microM) and kappa-receptor affinity (Ki = 36 microM) as well as the high sigma-receptor affinity (Ki = 3.3 microM) of the (S,S,S)-configurated methylamine 24c should be emphasized. The pentan-1-ol 26, the side product isolated during the synthesis of 24c, is of particular interest because of its considerable affinity to mu- (Ki = 16.0 microM), kappa- (Ki = 2.8 microM), and sigma-receptors (Ki = 14.5/1.26 microM). The biphasic competition curves obtained during sigma-receptor binding studies of 19d and 26 (two Ki values) may be explained by different interaction with sigma-receptor subtypes.

Noncompetitive NMDA antagonists: a novel synthesis of 1-phenyltetrahydro-3-benzazepines.

The key step in the synthesis of the pharmacologically interesting 1-phenyltetrahydro-3-benzazepine skeleton is the Michael addition of (2-lithiophenyl)acetaldehyde acetals, which are generated in situ upon treatment of the bromo acetals 5a,b with n-butyllithium, to beta-nitrostyrene (6). The reductive ring closure of the nitro acetals 7a,b succeeded with zinc dust and hydrochloric acid to give the 3-benzazepines 11a,b in good yields. The unsubstituted 3-benzazepine 11a showed a considerable affinity for the phencyclidine binding site of the NMDA receptor (Ki = 6.41 microM), whereas donor substituents in the aryl moiety (11b,c) reduce the affinity for the NMDA receptor.

Tricyclic CNS active agents by intramolecular Oxa-Pictet-Spengler reaction.

Mitsunobu inversion of the (S)-configurated lactate (S)-7, which is prepared in four steps starting from (S)-tyrosine, leads to the (R)-configurated lactate (R)-7. The key step in the transformation of the enantiomeric lactates (S)-7 and (R)-7 into the benzomorphan analogous tricycles (R,S)-16a,b, (S,R)-16a,b, (S,S)-22, and (R,R)-22 is an intramolecular Oxa-Pictet-Spengler reaction: The amides (S)-13, (R)-13, (S)-19 and (R)-19, in which the carbonyl moiety-masked as an acetal-is linked to the 2-phenylethanol moiety, are cyclized to give the tricyclic amides (R,S)-15, (S,R)-15, (S,S)-21, and (R,R)-21, respectively. In a concentration of 100 microM both enantiomers of 16a, 16b, and 22 are not able to compete with 3H-(+)-MK 801 for the phencyclidine binding sites of NMDA receptors. In vivo, only (R,S)-16b and (S,S)-22 exhibit weak sedative and analgesic activity.

[Synthesis and CNS-activity of spirocyclic pethidine and prodine analogs]. / Synthese und ZNS-Aktivität spirocyclischer Pethidin- und Prodin-Analoga.

The bromoacetals 5a and 5b react with n-butyllithium and the piperidone 7 to yield the hydroxyacetals 8b and 8c, respectively. Cyclization of 8b and 8c followed by acid hydrolysis affords the spirocyclic hemiacetals 10b and 10c which are oxidized by PCC to give the spirocyclic prodine analogues 4b and 4c. The corresponding spirocyclic pethidine derivative 2 is prepared by alkylation of the 2-benzopyran-3-one 16 with N-Lost (17). In the mouse writhing test the spiropethidine 2 is not analgesic active up to a dose of 20 mg/kg body weight (bw). In the spirocyclic prodine series the methylated lactone 4c is the most active analgesic with an ED50-value (ED50 = 9.2 mg/kg bw) in the range of the ED50-value of tramadol.

[2,6-Epoxy-3-benzazocines: centrally acting N/O-acetals produced by cyclization of amino- and amidoacetals]. / 2,6-Epoxy-3-benzazocine: Zentral wirksame N/O-Acetale durch Ringschluss von Amino- und Amidoacetalen.

Under acidic conditions the secondary amines 10a and 10b, the primary amine 15, the amide 17a, and the urethane 17b were cyclized to yield the 2,6-epoxy-3-benzazocines 11a, 11b, 16, 18a and 18b, respectively. Ring closure of the inverse amide 5a, however, failed to give the tricyclic N/O-acetal 6. With LiAlH4 the epoxy bridge of the urethane 18b was opened to afford the bicyclic 3-benzazocine 20. While the N-(2-methoxyethyl) derivative 11b did not influence the behaviour of mice, the N-methyl derivative 11a showed strong central effects.

[Benzomorphan analogs with doxpicomine partial structure: synthesis andpsychopharmacologic investigations of 5-aminomethyl- and 5-(alpha-aminobenzyl)- substituted 2,6-epoxy-3-benzoxocines]. / Benzomorphan-Analoga mit Doxpicomin Partialstruktur: Synthese und psychopharmakologische Untersuchung von 5-Aminomethyl und 5-(alpha-Aminobenzyl) substituierten 2,6-Epoxy-3-benzoxocinen.

Addition of the beta-alanine derivative 6 to the homophthalaldehyde monoacetal 5 and subsequent LiAlH4-reduction led to the dihydroxy acetal 8, which was cyclized with acid to give the 5-aminomethyl-2,6-epoxy-3-benzoxocines 2a and 2b. The reaction of 5 with the anion of the beta-lactam 9 yielded two separable diastereomers: 10a with u,l-configuration and 10b with 1,1-configuration. Via the 2-benzopyran 11a (11b), the aminoalcohol 12a (12b), and the secondary amine 13a (13b), the beta-lactam adduct 10a (10b) was transformed to give the 5-(alpha-dimethylaminobenzyl)-2,6-epoxy-3-benzoxocine 3d (3b). The relative configurations of all these "beta-lactam route" products (10-13, 3d, and 3b) were established by their 1H-NMR-spectra. Attempts failed to get the missing diastereomers 3a and 3c by epimerization of the beta-lactams 11a and 11b or by reductive amination of the benzoyl derivatives 17a and 17b. Finally, 3a and 3c were obtained by phenylmagnesium bromide addition to the nitriles 21a and 21b, followed by LiAlH4-reduction, formaldehyde/NaBH3CN methylation and chromatographic separation. In the Irwin-screen (mouse) only 2a.HCl, 3b, and 3d (100 mg/kg body weight) caused weak central effects.

[Synthesis and central effects of 4-hydroxy-(alkyl)- and 4-amino-(alkyl)-substituted 2,6-epoxy-3-benzoxocines]. / Synthese und zentrale Wirkungen von 4-hydroxy-(alkyl)- und 4-amino-(alkyl)-substituierten 2,6-epoxy-3-benzoxocinen.

The tricyclic hemiacetal 1 is transformed with amines to the N/O-acetals 3 and 10, with nitromethane to the 4-nitromethyl derivative 13, and with the Wittig reagents 15a and 15b to the 2-benzopyrans 16 and 19. Reduction and methylation of 13 yield the tertiary amine 4; through three steps the secondary amine 18 and the tertiary amine 5 are prepared from 16 and 19, respectively. The 1,3-dioxane ring of all these 2,6-epoxy-3-benzoxocine derivatives exists in the chair conformation with an equatorial C-4 substituent. After application of the amines 5, 11c, and 18 mice do not show any symptoms of central activity; weak CNS-effects are observed with the alcohols 1 and 2. For the tertiary amine 4, which causes considerable central effects (Straubtail-phenomenon, convulsions, etc.), an ED50 of 78 mg/kg is determined in the mouse "writhing"-test.