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Summary In search for potential histamine H3-receptor agonists a series of mono- and dialkyl-substituted histamine derivatives was synthesized. All target compounds were tested in vitro for their agonist activity at H3-, H2-, and H1-receptors. Introduction of one ethyl or two methyl residues into histamine led to compounds with decreased histamine H3-agonist potency in most cases. However, the non-chiral α,α-dimethylhistamine (15) was identified to be three times as active as histamine itself at H3-receptors. In addition 15 shows high receptor selectivity being 20 000 times as active at H3- as at H2- and H1-receptors, respectively. (αR)-α,Nτ-Dimethylhistamine 23, which is a potential metabolite of (αR)-α-methylhistamine 1, proved to be inactive at all three histamine receptor subtypes.

In search for novel leads for histamine H3-receptor antagonists a number of amine derivatives of different (1 H-imidazol-4-yl)anilines and omega-(1 H-imidazol-4-yl)alkanamines were prepared. Pharmacological in vitro H3-receptor investigations of the prepared urea, amide, inverse amide, thioamide, and thiourea derivatives on synaptosomes of rat cerebral cortex proved that the aniline derivatives are inactive at H3-receptors, whereas derivatives of the omega-(1 H-imidazol-4-yl)-alkanamines showed moderate to good activity. Some compounds are active in the nanomolar concentration range. The most potent compounds in this series are the thioamide derivative 7 and the urea derivatives 11, 12 of 3-(1 H-imidazol-4-yl) propanamine. Therefore, the urea derivatives were tested in vitro on isolated organs of the guinea pig for their activity on the other two histamine receptor subtypes proving their high selectivity. In vivo studies of the effects of the urea derivatives 11 and 12 on brain Nt-methylhistamine levels, a test of central H3-receptor activity after peroral application to mice, showed no detectable activity. Thus, the urea type antagonists are useful potent and selective H3-receptor tools for in vitro studies and for investigations of ligand-receptor interactions.

Novel ω-phenyl substituted and unsubstituted alkyl and alkenyl imidazole derivatives were prepared and tested for their antagonist activity in vitro and in vivo at histamine H 3 -receptors. Some compounds showed high in vitro and in vivo H 3 -receptor activity despite their structure bearing no polar moiety in the centre of the molecule which is a common structural feature of all other antagonists known. Quite probably there are further in vivo effects for some compounds resulting from other receptor interactions.

Novel substituted N-phenylcarbamates as derivatives of 3-(1 H-imidazol-4-yl)propanol were prepared and tested for their antagonist potency in vitro and in vivo at histamine H3 receptors. Structural modifications with different alkyl and acetyl moieties were performed in an attempt to optimize pharmacodynamic and pharmacokinetic effects. Most compounds are active in a functional test for histamine H3 receptors on rat cerebral cortex synaptosomes as well as in a peripheral model on guinea pig ileum. But only carbamates without too bulky lipophilic residues showed pronounced to high antagonist potency on the enhancement of endogenous histamine in brain after p.o. administration to mice (ED50 values of 5.5 to 0.86 mg.kg-1). The tested compounds presented weak activities at histamine H1, H2, and muscarinic M3 receptors thus demonstrating their H3-receptor selectivity.

In order to evaluate changes in the lipophilic part of designed carbamates concerning their potential histamine H3-receptor antagonist properties a new series of O-[3-(1H-imidazol-4-yl)propanol]carbamates was derived containing N-mono- or di-alkenyl, alkynyl, cycloalkyl, or double-branched alkyl substituents. The compounds were tested in vitro for their H3-receptor antagonist activity on synaptosomes of rat cerebral cortex and shared moderate to high antagonist activity in vitro. In this series 3-(1H-imidazol-4-yl)propyl N-(4-pentenyl)carbamate (4) was the most potent compound in vitro (Ki = 6.3 nM). H3-receptor antagonist activity in the central nervous system (CNS) was detected for most compounds in the in vivo H3-receptor assay based upon measurement of brain N tau-methylhistamine levels after p.o. administration to mice. The most effective carbamate in vivo, 3-(1H-imidazol-4-yl)propyl N-(allyl)carbamate (3), showed higher CNS potency (ED50 = 0.48 mg/kg p.o.) than the reference antagonist thioperamide. For some novel carbamates their histamine H1- and H2-receptor activities were determined on isolated organs of guinea-pig thereby demonstrating their high H3-receptor selectivity.

Para-substituted aromatic ethers with benzophenone or related structural elements and a 3-(1H-imidazol-4-yl)propyloxy moiety were prepared by Mitsunobu-type ether synthesis or SNAr reaction. Most of the title compounds possess high antagonist potency in histamine H3-receptor assays in vitro as well as in vivo in mouse CNS following oral administration. After defining 4-(3-(1H-imidazol-4-yl)propyloxy)phenyl phenyl methanone as a new lead, structure-activity relationships were investigated for this new class of compounds. Substitution of the meta'-position of the benzophenone moiety with halogen atoms (e.g., iodine, fluorine) led to compounds with high antagonist potency in vitro as well as in vivo (Ki = 9.3 and 4.3 nM, ED50 = 0.7 and 0.47 mg/kg p.o., 18 and 12, respectively). A receptor profile of several functional in vitro assays for several biogenic amine receptors for the meta'-iodinated derivative demonstrated high selectivity toward the histamine H3 receptor.

The dopamine D(3) receptor has been recognized to play an important role in the molecular mechanisms of various neuropsychiatric disorders. The development of new dopamine D(3) receptor selective antagonists is premised on the potentially improved therapeutic treatment of psychosis like schizophrenia. Partial agonists at dopamine D(3) receptors are supposed to be beneficial when administered to drug abusers or in Parkinson's disease. The structural basis for most compounds is at least a basic, aryl-substituted alkanamine part with an alkyl moiety, which in many compounds forms a spacer to another aryl residue. Structural variety among the amine moiety includes aminotetralins, tetrahydroisoquinolines, isoindoles, benzazepines, and aminoindans, as well as pyrrolidines, pyrroles, and 4-phenylpiperazines. Various ways for lead optimization are shown in different classes of compounds. Promising ligands with high D(3) receptor affinity often lack sufficient selectivity or display deficits in the required in vivo parameters. Structure-activity relationships for dopamine D(3) receptor antagonists and partial agonists are discussed here, along with the outlook for their potential therapeutic application.

A series of eight substituted N-(4-(4-(2-halogenophenyl)piperazin-1-yl)butyl)-3-phenylacryl amide derivatives have been synthesized and screened for binding affinities at dopamine hD(2) and hD(3) receptors. All compounds have shown high to remarkable receptor affinities and some have led to distinct selectivity for D(3) receptors. Highest D(3)-receptor affinity has been observed for 3-(4-aminophenyl)-N-(4-(4-(2-fluorophenyl)piperazin-1-yl)butyl)acryl amide (hD(3) K(i) 0.9 nM; hD(2) K(i) 17.4 nM). Selectivity ratio has been best for 3-(4-chlorophenyl)-N-(4-(4-(2-fluorophenyl)piperazin-1-yl)butyl)acryl amide with a 56-fold preference for hD(3) versus hD(2). A functional activity test has been performed by a mitogenesis test for N-(4-(4-(2-fluorophenyl)piperazin-1-yl)butyl)-3,3-diphenylacryl amide, which, surprisingly, has shown full agonist properties.

ω-Piperidinoalkanamine derivatives with fluorescent moieties (2-cyanoisoindol-1-yl, 7-nitrobenzofurazan-4-yl) have been synthesized starting from piperidine in three steps. The compounds display moderate to good histamine hH3 receptor affinities with Ki values ranging from 178 to 11 nM. The new compounds may act as tools for identification and understanding of the binding site on the histamine H3 receptor.

Novel derivatives of the highly potent and selective histamine H-3-receptor antagonist ciproxifan (3) with different chain lengths as well as with structural variants of the cyclopropyl ketone moiety have been prepared and screened for their antagonist H3-receptor potencies in vitro and in vivo. Some derivatives (2, 6-8, 12) containing other functionalities were effective in vitro in the same (sub)nanomolar concentration range and in vivo in a remarkably low oral dose. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved

Cyclopropyl 4-(3-(1H-imidazol-4-yl)propyloxy)phenyl methanone (ciproxifan) is a novel reference antagonist for the histamine H3 receptor. Despite the former Mitsunobu reaction the actual key reaction for preparation based on SNAr for acylated fluoroaromatics with an additional cyclization in a one-pot procedure needs no chromatographic purification steps and results in good yields.