Enantioselective synthesis and teratogenicity of propylisopropyl acetamide, a CNS-active chiral amide analogue of valproic acid.

Propylisopropyl acetamide (PID), an amide analogue of the major antiepileptic drug valproic acid (VPA), possesses favorable anticonvulsant and CNS properties. PID contains one chiral carbon atom and therefore exists in two enantiomeric forms. The purpose of this work was to synthesize the two PID enantiomers and evaluate their enantiospecific teratogenicity. Enantioselective synthesis of PID enantiomers was achieved by coupling valeroyl chloride with optically pure (4S)- and (4R)-benzyl-2-oxazolidinone chiral auxiliaries. The two oxazolidinone enolates were alkylated with isopropyl triflate, hydrolyzed, and amidated to yield (2R)- and (2S)-PID. These two PID enantiomers were obtained with excellent enantiomeric purity, exceeding 99.4%. Unlike VPA, both (2R)- and (2S)-PID failed to exert teratogenic effects in NMRI mice following a single 3 mmol/kg subcutaneous injection. From this study we can conclude that individual PID enantiomers do not demonstrate stereoselective teratogenicity in NMRI mice. Due to its better anticonvulsant activity than VPA and lack of teratogenicity, PID (in a stereospecific or racemic form) has the potential to become a new antiepileptic and CNS drug.

Structure-pharmacokinetic relationships in a series of valpromide derivatives with antiepileptic activity.

The following valpromide (VPD) derivatives were synthesized and their structure-pharmacokinetic relationships explored: ethylbutylacetamide (EBD), methylpentylacetamide (MPD), propylisopropylacetamide (PID), and propylallylacetamide (PAD). In addition, the anticonvulsant activity of these compounds was evaluated and compared to that of VPD, valnoctamide (VCD), and valproic acid (VPA). MPD, the least-branched compound had the largest clearance and shortest half-life of all the amides investigated and was the least active. All other amides had similar pharmacokinetic parameters. Unlike the other amides, PID and VCD did not metabolize to their respective homologous acids and were the most active compounds. Our study showed that these amides need an unsubstituted beta position in their aliphatic side chain in order to biotransform to their homologous acids. An amide which is not metabolized is more potent as an anticonvulsant than its biotransformed isomer. All amides were more active than their respective homologous acids. In this particular series of aliphatic amides, which were derived from short-branched fatty acids, the anticonvulsant activity was affected by the pharmacokinetics in general and by the biotransformation of the amide to its homologous acid in particular. This amide-acid biotransformation appeared to be dependent upon the chemical structure, especially upon the substitution at position beta of the molecule.