Synthesis and biological evaluation of pyrano[4,3-b][1]benzopyranone derivatives as monoamine oxidase and cholinesterase inhibitors

A series of eighteen pyrano[4,3-b][1]benzopyranone derivatives (1a-9b) were synthesized, and structure-activity relationships of their monoamine oxidase (MAO) A and B, acetylcholinesterase (AChE), and butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) inhibitory activities were evaluated. Most of the synthesized compounds exhibited weak inhibitory activity toward MAO-A, whereas compounds 2a, 2b, 4a, 4b, 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 8a and 8b showed potent inhibitory activities toward MAO-B. Intriguingly, compounds 5a, 5b, and 8a showed inhibitory activities comparable to pargylin, used as a positive control for MAO-B. Substitution of butoxy at the C3 position or of chlorine at the C8 position of pyrano[4,3-b][1]benzopyranone increased the inhibitory activity of the compound toward MAO-B. The results of a molecular docking study supported this structural effect. Most of the compounds exhibited no or slight inhibitory activity toward AChE and BChE, with exo type compounds bearing a butoxy group, such as compounds 2b, 5b and 8b, showing weak but distinct inhibitory activities toward BChE. This report is the first to identify pyrano[4,3-b][1]benzopyranone derivatives as potent and selective MAO-B inhibitors. 3-Butoxy-8-chloro-pyrano[4,3-b][1]benzopyranone (5b) may be useful as a lead compound for the development of MAO-B inhibitors.