Planarity or Nonplanarity: Modulating Guanidine Derivatives as α2-Adrenoceptors Ligands.

A theoretical study has been carried out at the M062X/6-311++G(d,p) computational level to search for a rationale on ligands' affinity toward α2-adrenoceptors by estimating the nature and strength of intramolecular hydrogen bonds potentially formed (by means of the QTAIM and NBO approaches) as well as the degree of deviation from planarity that could be observed in some of the compounds. Four different families have been studied: thiophen-2-yl, 3-carboxylatethiophen-2-yl esters, 3-cyanothiophen-2-yl, and 2-thiazolyl guanidinium derivatives. In the case of the thiophen-2-yl guanidines not substituted in the 3 position, nonplanarity was always observed, whereas in the thiazole series, intramolecular hydrogen bonds were identified between the guanidinium and the thiazole ring forcing the systems to planarity. Regarding the carboxylic esters, two different rotamers were found: quasi-planar and quasi-perpendicular systems with very similar energy. Both of these isomers can form different nets of intramolecular hydrogen bonds and other types of noncovalent interactions. Different physicochemical properties such as basicity, solubility, or lipophilicity were calculated for these systems, but no correlation to the degree of planarity was found. However, when comparing the α2-ARs affinity with the planarity of the molecules, a trend appears in the thiophen-2-yl guanidinium series indicating that lack of planarity seems to be optimal for α2-ARs engagement.

Thiophene/thiazole-benzene replacement on guanidine derivatives targeting α2-Adrenoceptors.

Searching for improved antagonists of α2-adrenoceptors, a thorough theoretical study comparing the aromaticity of phenyl-, pyridinyl-, thiophenyl- and thiazolylguanidinium derivatives has been carried out [at M06-2X/6-311++G(p,d) computational level] confirming that thiophene and thiazole will be good 'ring equivalents' to benzene in these guanidinium systems. Based on these results, a small but chemically diverse library of guanidine derivatives (15 thiophenes and 2 thiazoles) were synthesised to explore the effect that the bioisosteric change has on affinity and activity at α2-adrenoceptors in comparison with our previously studied phenyl derivatives. All compounds were tested for their α2-adrenoceptor affinity and unsubstituted guanidinothiophenes displayed the strongest affinities in the same range as the phenyl analogues. In the case of cycloakyl systems, thiophenes with 6-membered rings showed the largest affinities, while for the thiazoles the 5-membered analogue presented the strongest affinity. From all the compounds tested for noradrenergic activity, only one compound exhibited agonistic activity, while two compounds showed very promising antagonism of α2-adrenoceptors.