Synthesis and dopamine receptor affinities of N-alkyl-11-hydroxy-2-methoxynoraporphines: N-alkyl substituents determine D1 versus D2 receptor selectivity

J Med Chem. 2008 Feb 28;51(4):983-7. doi: 10.1021/jm701045j. Epub 2008 Feb 6.

Abstract

We developed a procedure to synthesize a series of N-alkyl-2-methoxy-11-hydroxynoraporphines from thebaine and evaluated their binding affinities at dopamine D1 and D2 receptors in rat forebrain tissue. At D2 receptors, the most potent 10,11-catechol-aporphine was (R)-(-)-2-methoxy-N-n-propylnorapomorphine (D2, Ki = 1.3 nM; D1, Ki = 6450 nM), and the most selective and potent 11-monohydroxy aporphine was (R)-(-)-2-methoxy-11-hydroxy-N-n-propylnoraporphine (D2, Ki = 44 nM; D1, Ki = 1690 nM). In contrast, the N-methyl congeners (R)-(-)-2-methoxy-11-hydroxy-N-methyl-aporphine (D1 vs D2, Ki = 46 vs 235 nM) showed higher D1 than D2 affinity, indicating that N-alkyl substituents have major effects on D2 affinity and D2/D1 selectivity in such 2-methoxy-11-monohydroxy-substituted aporphines.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Aporphines / chemical synthesis*
  • Aporphines / chemistry
  • Aporphines / pharmacology
  • Binding, Competitive
  • Corpus Striatum / metabolism
  • In Vitro Techniques
  • Radioligand Assay
  • Rats
  • Receptors, Dopamine D1 / agonists*
  • Receptors, Dopamine D2 / agonists*
  • Stereoisomerism
  • Structure-Activity Relationship

Substances

  • Aporphines
  • Receptors, Dopamine D1
  • Receptors, Dopamine D2