(R)-(-)-10-methyl-11-hydroxyaporphine: a highly selective serotonergic agonist.

Prior work in these laboratories identified (+/-)-5-hydroxy-6-methyl-2- (di-n-propylamino)tetralin as a dopaminergic agonist prodrug. The ortho methyl hydroxy aromatic substitution pattern in this molecule has now been incorporated into the aporphine ring system to give a congener of the dopaminergic agonist apomorphine in which the position 10 OH group has been replaced by methyl. Preparation of the target compound involved acid-catalyzed rearrangement of the 3-(1-phenyltetrazolyl) ether of morphine and subsequent molecular modification of the product, the 10-(1-phenyltetrazolyl) ether of (R)-(-)-apomorphine. Surprisingly, the target compound elicited no responses in any assays for effects at dopamine receptors, but rather it displayed pharmacological properties consistent with its being a serotonergic agonist with a high degree of selectivity for 5-HT1A receptors similar to the serotonergic agonist 8-hydroxy-2-(di-n-propylamino)tetralin.