Electrophilic alpha-methylene-gamma-lactone and isothiocyanate opioid ligands related to etorphine

J Med Chem. 1990 Aug;33(8):2286-96. doi: 10.1021/jm00170a038.

Abstract

Isothiocyanate and alpha-methylene-gamma-lactone analogues of 6,14-endo-ethenotetrahydrothebaine and -oripavine were prepared with the electrophilic groups being located at C-19 in the C-7 alpha-side chain. Isothiocyanates were prepared in the N-Me and N-CPM (N-cyclopropylmethyl) series, both as the phenols and 3-O-methyl ethers from the diastereomeric amines formed from reductive amination of thevinone (2) and N-(cyclopropylmethyl)northevinone (13). Although addition of the organozinc reagent from methyl alpha-bromomethacrylate to 25 failed, addition to 3-O-protected aldehydes 27 and 35 produced, after subsequent deprotection, alpha-methylene-gamma-lactones 29 and 37, respectively. In the opioid receptor displacement assays against [3H]bremazocine as the radiolabeled ligand, the phenolic compounds were most potent with N-CPM isothiocyanates 20 and 21 showing IC50s of 0.32 and 0.76 nM, respectively, and N-CPM alpha-methylene-gamma-lactone 37 having an IC50 = 1.0 nM. Compound 37 showed irreversible effects in the binding assay which were mu-selective, as demonstrated by analogous experiments using [3H]DAGO, and naloxone was found to protect against the irreversible effects. This observation suggests that a receptor-bound nucleophile is located at a position where it can readily reach the alpha-methylene group of lactone 37.

Publication types

  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Chemical Phenomena
  • Chemistry
  • Enkephalin, Ala(2)-MePhe(4)-Gly(5)-
  • Enkephalins / metabolism
  • Etorphine / analogs & derivatives*
  • Etorphine / metabolism
  • Isothiocyanates*
  • Lactones*
  • Ligands
  • Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy
  • Molecular Structure
  • Morphinans*
  • Naloxone / pharmacology
  • Receptors, Opioid / metabolism*
  • Receptors, Opioid, mu
  • Spectrophotometry, Infrared
  • Stereoisomerism
  • Thebaine / analogs & derivatives
  • Thebaine / chemical synthesis
  • Thebaine / metabolism
  • Thiocyanates*

Substances

  • Enkephalins
  • Isothiocyanates
  • Lactones
  • Ligands
  • Morphinans
  • Receptors, Opioid
  • Receptors, Opioid, mu
  • Thiocyanates
  • Enkephalin, Ala(2)-MePhe(4)-Gly(5)-
  • N-(cyclopropylmethyl)-6,14-endo-etheno-7-(3-carboxy-3-n-butenyl)tetrahydronororipavine gamma-lactone
  • Thebaine
  • isothiocyanic acid
  • Naloxone
  • Etorphine