Homoallylic amines related to zimeldine. A comparative study on neuronal serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake based on conformational analysis.

A number of tertiary and secondary homoallylic amines, i.e. (Z)- and (E)-4-(4-bromophenyl)-4-(3-pyridyl)-3-buten-1-ylamines, were synthesized in diastereomerically pure forms. The compounds were evaluated as neuronal norepinephrine (NE) and serotonin (5-HT) uptake inhibitors under in vitro and ex vivo conditions and compared with the tricyclics amitriptyline and nortriptyline having homoallylic side chains and with the corresponding diastereomers in the zimeldine series having allylic side chains. The Z isomers of the new homoallylic derivatives (3Z, 4Z) were specific 5-HT uptake inhibitors in analogy with the corresponding allylic derivatives zimeldine (1Z) and norzimeldine (2Z). Likewise, the selectivity profile of the homoallylic (3E, 4E) and the allylic (1E, 2E) derivatives was comparable. In general, the homoallylic compounds were less potent inhibitors than their allylic counterparts. The similarities and discrepancies were evaluated in terms of conformational preferences determined by CAMSEQ molecular mechanics calculations. Homonorzimeldine (4Z) can accommodate energetically favored, but less populated, conformations having amino nitrogen atom to aromatic ring center distances comparable to those in norzimeldine. These facts correlate to retained 5-HT selectivity but diminished potency of 4Z compared to 2Z.