Cannon J G, Flaherty P T, Ozkutlu U, Long J P
Division of Medicinal and Natural Products Chemistry, College of Pharmacy, University of Iowa, Iowa City 52246, USA.
J Med Chem. 1995 May 26;38(11):1841-5. doi: 10.1021/jm00011a002.
(R)- And (S)-11-hydroxy-10-methylaporphine 1 and 2 are, respectively, a potent, highly specific serotonergic (5-HT1A) agonist and antagonist. In an ongoing structure-activity study, racemates of the positional isomers 8-hydroxy-9-methyl- and 8-methyl-9-hydroxyaporphine were prepared by modifications of literature methods and were resolved. The methyl ethers of the target compounds were also evaluated pharmacologically. All of the free phenolic derivatives [(+)- and (-)-8 and 10] were inert in an assay for 5-HT1A receptor activity. All of the methyl ethers [(+)- and (-)-9 and 11] demonstrated quantitatively similar low potency stimulant effect at 5-HT1A receptors. The agonist or antagonist activity exhibited by 1 and 2 reflects the high degree of structural specificity required of aporphine derivatives for action at 5-HT1A receptors.
