The optically pure enantiomers of the potential atypical antipsychotic agents 5-methoxy-2-[N-(2-benzamidoethyl)-N-n-propylamino]tetralin (5-OMe-BPAT, 5) and 5-methoxy-2-{N-[2-(2,6-dimethoxy)benzamidoethyl]-N-n-propylamino}tetralin [5-OMe-(2,6-di-OMe)-BPAT, 6] were synthesized and evaluated for their in vitro binding affinities at alpha(1)-, alpha(2)-, and beta-adrenergic, muscarinic, dopamine D-1, D-2A,D- and D-3, and serotonin 5-HT1A and 5-HT2 receptors. In addition, their intrinsic efficacies at serotonin 5-HT1A receptors were established in vitro. (S)- and (R)-5 had high affinities for dopamine D2A, D3, and serotonin 5-HT1A receptors: moderate affinities for alpha(1)-adrenergic and serotonin 5-HT2 receptors, and no affinity (K-i > 1000 nM) for the other receptor subtypes. (S)- and (R)-6 had lower affinities for the dopamine D-2A and the serotonin 5-HT1A receptor, compared to (S)- and (R)-5, and hence showed some selectivity for the dopamine D3 receptor. The interactions with the receptors were stereospecific, since the serotonin 5-HT1A receptor preferred the (S)-enantiomers, while the dopamine D-2A and D-2 receptors preferred the (R)-enantiomers of 5 and 6. The intrinsic efficacies at the serotonin 5-HT1A receptor were established by measuring their ability to inhibit VIP-induced cAMP production in GH(4)ZD10 cells expressing serotonin 5-HT1A receptors. Both enantiomers of 5 behaved as full serotonin 5-HT1A receptor agonists in this assay, while both enantiomers of 6 behaved as weak partial agonists. The potential antipsychotic properties of (S)- and (R)-5 were evaluated by establishing their ability to inhibit d-amphetamine-induced locomotor activity in rats, while their propensity to induce extrapyramidal side-effects (EPS) in man was evaluated by determining their ability to induce catalepsy in rats. Whereas (R)-5 was capable of blocking d-amphetamine-induced locomotor activity, indicative of dopamine D-2 receptor antagonism, (S)-5 even enhanced the effect of d-amphetamine, suggesting that this compound has dopamine D-2 receptor-stimulating properties. Since both enantiomers also were devoid of cataleptogenic activity, they are interesting candidates for further exploring the dopamine D-2/serotonin 5-HT1A hypothesis of atypical antipsychotic drug action. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.

Several structural analogues of 5-methoxy-2-[N-(2-benzamidoethyl)-N-n-propylamino]tetralin (5-OMe-BPAT, 1), a representative of a series of 2-aminotetralin-derived benzamides with potential atypical antipsychotic properties, were synthesized and evaluated for their ability to bind to dopamine D2A, D3, and serotonin 5-HT1A receptors in vitro. The structure affinity relationships revealed that the aromatic ring of the benzamide moiety of 1 contributes to the high affinities for all three receptor subtypes. Furthermore, 1 may interact with the dopamine D2 and D3 receptors through hydrogen bond formation with its carbonyl group. Investigation of the role of the amide hydrogen atom by amide N-alkylation was not conclusive, since conformational aspects may be responsible for the decreased dopaminergic affinities of the N'-alkylated analogues of 1. The effects of the amide modifications on the serotonin 5-HT1A receptor affinity were less pronounced, suggesting that the benzamidoethyl side-chain of 1 as a whole enhances the affinity for this receptor subtype probably through hydrophobic interactions with an accessory binding site. The structural requirements for the substituents at the basic nitrogen atom supported the hypothesis that the 2-aminotetralin moieties of the 2-aminotetralin-derived substituted benzamides may share the same binding sites as the 2-(N,N-di-n-propylamino)tetralins.

In this study we have examined the ability of melatonin and four synthetic melatonin receptor agonists to entrain endogenous melatonin secretion in rats, free running in constant darkness. The circadian melatonin profile was measured by trans-pineal microdialysis, which not only reveals the time of onset and end of production (phase), but also the amplitude of the rhythm. Exogenous melatonin given at the onset of subjective darkness (clock time 12 h) was effective to entrain endogenous melatonin production. Only one agonist, 2-chloroacetamido-8-methoxytetralin (AH-017), mimicked this action. Two other agonists, 4-methoxy-2-(methylene propylamide)indan (GG-012) and N-[2-[2,3,7,8-tetrahydro-1H-furo(2,3-g)indol-1-yl]ethyl]acetamide (GR196429), induced a phase-delay under free running conditions, possibly by increasing tau (τ) period. One agonist, 2-acetamido-8-methoxytetralin (AH-001) did not show any phase effect on the free running rhythm. Unexpectedly, all melatonin receptor agonists increased the amplitude of melatonin secretion. The amount of the increase varied from just below the level of significance (AH-001) to an approximately 2-fold increase (GG-012 and GR196429). This is in clear contrast to entrainment with melatonin, which significantly decreased the amplitude. It is hypothesized that entrainment and effects on amplitude of melatonin secretion are mediated by different mechanisms which can be differentially modulated using specific ligands.

A new chemical class of potential atypical antypsychotic agents, based on the pharmacological concept of mixed dopamine D2 receptor antagonism and serotonin 5-HT1A receptor agonism, was designed by combining the structural features of the 2-(N,N-di-n-propylamino)tetralins (DPATs) and the 2-pyrrolidinylmethyl-derived substituted benzamides in a structural hybrid. Thus, a series of 35 differently substituted 2-aminotetralin-derived substituted benzamides was synthesized and the compounds were evaluated for their ability to compete for [3H]-raclopride binding to cloned human dopamine D2A and D3 receptors, and for [3H]-8-OH-DPAT binding to rat serotonin 5-HT1A receptors in vitro. The lead compound of the series, 5-methoxy-2-[N-(2-benzamidoethyl)-N-n-propylamino]tetralin (12a), displayed high affinities for the dopamine D2A receptor (Ki=3.2nM), the dopamine D3 receptor (Ki=0.58nM) as well as the serotonin 5-HT1A receptor (Ki=0.82nM). The structure–affinity relationships of the series suggest that the 2-aminotetralin moieties of the compounds occupy the same binding sites as the DPATs in all three receptor subtypes. The benzamidoethyl side chain enhances the affinities of the compounds for all three receptor subtypes, presumably by occupying an accessory binding site. For the dopamine D2 and D3 receptors, this accessory binding site may be identical to the binding site of the 2-pyrrolidinylmethyl-derived substituted benzamides.

The affinities of enantiomers of conformationally restricted melatonin analogues for the ML-1 and ML-2 putative melatonin receptor subtypes are reported. Most ligands exhibited reversed stereoselectivity when competing with 125I 2-iodomelatonin binding to chicken retinal (ML-1) and hamster brain (ML-2) membranes, further supporting the biochemical and pharmacological differences reported for these two sites. Based on the data for the ML-1 site and thorough conformational analyses of several ligands, two pharmacophore models were derived using the program APOLLO. The pharmacophoric elements included were putative receptor points from the amide NH, the amide CO, and the methoxy-O, together with the normal through the phenyl ring. The large drop in ML-1 affinity observed for 4-methoxy-2-acetamido-indan (6a) could not be explained from either of these models. Minireceptors were subsequently built around the two pharmacophores using Yak. Analysis of the resulting ligand-minireceptor interactions offered an explanation for the low affinity of 6a and allowed one of the pharmacophore models to be selected for use in future drug design.

A series of unsubstituted and methoxy-substituted 2-amidotetralins (4a-q) was prepared and evaluated for their ability to compete for 2-[125I]iodomelatonin binding to chicken retinal membranes and for their potency to inhibit the calcium-dependent release of [3H]dopamine from rabbit retina. The lead compound, 2-acetamido-8-methoxytetralin (4j), showed a moderate affinity (Ki = 46 nM) and potency (IC50 = 1.4 nM) at the melatonin receptor. The structural requirements necessary for optimal agonistic activity at the melatonin receptor are as follows. First, the amido group, which should have a small, nonbranched alkyl group, is essential for affinity, and second, the methoxy substituent at the 8-position of the 2-amidotetralin ring is essential for optimal agonistic activity at the melatonin receptor. We concluded that this series of unsubstituted and methoxy-substituted 2-amidotetralins constitutes a class of nonindolic melatonin-like agents that can be used as pharmacological tools to further characterize melatonin receptors and to elucidate the mode of action of melatonin.

Based on the hypothesis that simultaneous stimulation of dopamine-D1 and -D2 receptors could be beneficial for the treatment of Parkinson's disease7,13, we prepared 5,6,7,8-tetrahydro-6-[propyl[2-(2-thienyl)ethyl]amino]-1,2-naphthalenediol (PTAT, 4), the diol analogue of N-0437 (3), as a potential mixed D1/D2-receptor agonist. The synthesis of 4 was carried out via a new strategy. The crucial step in this strategy was the conversion of 1-diazo-4-(2,3-dimethoxyphenyl)-2-butanone (15) to the key intermediate 5,6-dimethoxy-2-tetralone (9) via a rhodium(II)-acetate-catalysed cyclisation, followed by transformation under the influence of trifluoroacetic acid. Pharmacological evaluation of the dopaminergic properties of PTAT (4) revealed that this compound displays high affinity for both D1 and D2 receptors and has the same ability as DPAT (1), a mixed D1/D2-receptor agonist, to induce locomotor activity in mice rendered acutely akinetic with reserpine.