title: Spiropiperidines as high-affinity, selective sigma ligands.
abstract: A variety of achiral conformationally restricted spirocyclic piperidines have been prepared in an attempt to investigate the functional role of the central sigma recognition site. All the compounds possessed a lipophilic N-substituent incorporating either a tetralin, indan, or benzocycloheptane skeleton. Their in vitro affinity at the sigma site was assessed in radioligand displacement experiments with guinea pig cerebellum homogenates using the sigma-specific radioligand [3H]-N,N'-di-o-tolylguanidine ([3H]-DTG, [3H]-6). A study of the structure-activity relationships identified the N-butyl and N-dimethylallyl substituents as the optimum groups for high affinity and selectivity at the sigma site (e.g., 3,4-dihydro-1'-(3-methylbut-2-enyl)spiro[1H-indene-1,4'-piperidine ] (48), pIC50 = 8.9 vs [3H]-6 and greater than 10,000-fold selective over the dopamine D2 receptor). Such compounds are amongst the highest affinity sigma ligands reported to date, with excellent selectivity over the dopamine D2 receptor, and may serve as a useful tool for exploring the physiological role of the sigma site.
authors.affiliation: Chemistry Department, Merck Sharp and Dohme Research Laboratories, Harlow, Essex, U.K.
authors.forename: M S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Chambers
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Baker
authors.forename: D C
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Billington
authors.forename: A K
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Knight
authors.forename: D N
authors.initials: DN
authors.lastname: Middlemiss
authors.forename: E H
authors.initials: EH
authors.lastname: Wong
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001665:Binding Sites; D002531:Cerebellum / Q000378:metabolism; D006168:Guinea Pigs; D007192:Indenes / Q000138:chemical synthesis* / Q000378:metabolism; D008968:Molecular Conformation; D015394:Molecular Structure; D010880:Piperidines / Q000138:chemical synthesis* / Q000378:metabolism; D011954:Receptors, Dopamine / Q000378:metabolism; D017448:Receptors, Dopamine D2; D011957:Receptors, Opioid / Q000378:metabolism*; D017480:Receptors, sigma; D013141:Spiro Compounds / Q000138:chemical synthesis* / Q000378:metabolism; D013329:Structure-Activity Relationship; D013764:Tetrahydronaphthalenes / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D007192:Indenes; D010880:Piperidines; D011954:Receptors, Dopamine; D017448:Receptors, Dopamine D2; D011957:Receptors, Opioid; D017480:Receptors, sigma; D013141:Spiro Compounds; D013764:Tetrahydronaphthalenes; C074914:3,4-dihydro-1'-(3-methylbut-2-enyl)spiro(1H-indene-1,4'-piperidine)