Synthesis and evaluation of potent and selective beta3 adrenergic receptor agonists containing heterobiaryl carboxylic acids.

The design, synthesis, and SAR of a novel series of heterobiaryl phenethanolamine beta3 adrenergic receptor agonists are described. The furan analogue 49 was shown to elicit a significant dose-dependent lowering of plasma glucose in a rodent model of type 2 diabetes.

Biarylaniline phenethanolamines as potent and selective beta3 adrenergic receptor agonists.

The synthesis of a series of phenethanolamine aniline agonists that contain an aniline ring on the right-hand side of the molecule substituted at the meta position with a benzoic acid or a pyridyl carboxylate is described. Several of the analogues (e.g., 34, 36-38, 40, and 44) have high beta(3) adrenergic receptor (AR) potency and selectivity against beta(1) and beta(2) ARs in Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells expressing beta ARs. The dog pharmacokinetic profile of some of these analogues showed >25% oral bioavailability and po half-lives of at least 1.5 h. Among the compounds described herein, the 3,3'-biarylaniline carboxylate derivatives 36, 38 and the phenylpyridyl derivative 44 demonstrated outstanding in vitro properties and reasonable dog pharmacokinetic profiles. These three analogues also showed dose dependent beta(3) AR mediated responses in mice. The ease of synthesis and superior dog pharmacokinetics of compound 38 relative to that of 44 in combination with its in vitro profile led us to choose this compound as a development candidate for the treatment of type 2 diabetes.

2-(Anilinomethyl)imidazolines as alpha1 adrenergic receptor agonists: alpha1a subtype selective 2'-heteroaryl compounds.

The structure-activity relationship of 2'-pyrrole, pyrazole and triazole substituted 2-(anilinomethyl)imidazolines as alpha(1) adrenergic agonists was investigated. The size and orientation of substituents, as well as the position of the heteroatoms, were found to have a profound effect on the potency and selectivity of the molecules. Potent alpha(1A) subtype selective agonists have been identified.

Alpha(1)-adrenoceptor activation: a comparison of 4-(anilinomethyl)imidazoles and 4-(phenoxymethyl)imidazoles to related 2-imidazolines.

Literature reports suggest that disruption of an interhelical salt bridge is critical for alpha(1)-adrenoceptor activation, and the basic amine found in adrenergic receptor ligands is responsible for the disruption. Novel 4-(anilinomethyl)imidazoles and 4-(phenoxymethyl)imidazoles are agonists of the cloned human alpha(1)-adrenoceptors in vitro, and potent, selective alpha(1A)-adrenoceptor agonists have been identified in this series. These imidazoles demonstrate similar potencies and alpha(1)-subtype selectivities as the corresponding 2-substituted imidazolines. The extremely close SAR suggests that, in spite of the large difference in basicity, these imidazoles and imidazolines may establish the same interactions to activate alpha(1)-adrenoceptors.

2-(Anilinomethyl)imidazolines as alpha1 adrenergic receptor agonists: the discovery of alpha1a subtype selective 2'-alkylsulfonyl-substituted analogues.

A series of 2'-alkylthio-2-(anilinomethyl)imidazolines were prepared to examine the effect of the alkyl group size, sulfur oxidation state, and phenyl ring substitution on ligand binding and agonism of alpha-adrenergic receptor subtypes alpha1a, alpha1b, alpha1d, alpha2a, and alpha2c. Binding at all receptor subtypes decreased for compounds in the sulfone oxidation state as compared to their sulfide analogues. While sulfides were generally potent, nonselective agonists, sulfones exhibited alpha1a subtype selectivity in a cell-based functional assay. Sulfone (32) was 250-7000-fold selective for alpha1a vs all other subtypes.

Synthesis and evaluation of potent and selective beta(3) adrenergic receptor agonists containing acylsulfonamide, sulfonylsulfonamide, and sulfonylurea carboxylic acid isosteres.

Starting from phenethanolamine aniline leads 3a and 3b, we have identified a series of functionally potent and selective beta(3) adrenergic receptor (AR) agonists containing acylsulfonamide, sulfonylsulfonamide, or sulfonylurea groups within the aniline phenethanolamine series. In beta(3), beta(2), and beta(1) AR cAMP functional assays, 3a and other right-hand side (RHS) carboxylate analogues were found to be full agonists that were modestly selective against beta(1) or beta(2) ARs, while analogues lacking RHS acid functionality were active at beta(3) AR but not selective. Replacement of the carboxylate with acylthiazole and acylmethylsulfone gave potent, but only modestly selective, compounds. Increasing the size of the RHS sulfonamide substituent with phenyl or p-toluene afforded compounds with good potency and functional selectivity (beta(3) AR pEC(50) greater than 8; beta(1) and beta(2) AR selectivity greater than 40- and 500-fold, respectively). Our SAR studies suggest that the potency and selectivity profile of the best analogues reported here is a result of both the steric bulk and acidity of the RHS sulfonamide NH group. Although all of the analogues had a pharmacokinetic half-life of less than 2 h, acylsulfonamides 43 and 44 did show moderately low clearance in dogs. These two compounds were further evaluated by thermographic imaging in mice and were found to produce a robust thermogenic response via oral administration.