Design and Synthesis of Bitopic 2-Phenylcyclopropylmethylamine (PCPMA) Derivatives as Selective Dopamine D3 Receptor Ligands

J Med Chem. 2020 May 14;63(9):4579-4602. doi: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.9b01835. Epub 2020 Apr 23.

Abstract

2-Phenylcyclopropylmethylamine (PCPMA) analogues have been reported as selective serotonin 2C agonists. On the basis of the same scaffold, we designed and synthesized a series of bitopic derivatives as dopamine D3R ligands. A number of these new compounds show a high binding affinity for D3R with excellent selectivity. Compound (1R,2R)-22e and its enantiomer (1S,2S)-22e show a comparable binding affinity for the D3R, but the former is a potent D3R agonist, while the latter acts as an antagonist. Molecular docking studies revealed different binding poses of the PCPMA moiety within the orthosteric binding pocket of the D3R, which might explain the different functional profiles of the enantiomers. Compound (1R,2R)-30q shows a high binding affinity for the D3R (Ki = 2.2 nM) along with good selectivity, as well as good bioavailability and brain penetration properties in mice. These results reveal that the PCPMA scaffold may serve as a privileged scaffold for the design of aminergic GPCR ligands.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Binding Sites
  • Brain / metabolism
  • Cyclopropanes / chemical synthesis
  • Cyclopropanes / metabolism
  • Cyclopropanes / pharmacokinetics*
  • Dopamine Agonists / chemical synthesis
  • Dopamine Agonists / metabolism
  • Dopamine Agonists / pharmacokinetics*
  • Dopamine Antagonists / chemical synthesis
  • Dopamine Antagonists / metabolism
  • Dopamine Antagonists / pharmacokinetics*
  • Drug Design
  • Ligands
  • Methylamines / chemical synthesis
  • Methylamines / metabolism
  • Methylamines / pharmacokinetics*
  • Mice, Inbred ICR
  • Molecular Docking Simulation
  • Molecular Structure
  • Receptor, Serotonin, 5-HT2C / metabolism
  • Receptors, Dopamine D3 / metabolism*
  • Stereoisomerism
  • Structure-Activity Relationship

Substances

  • Cyclopropanes
  • Dopamine Agonists
  • Dopamine Antagonists
  • Ligands
  • Methylamines
  • Receptor, Serotonin, 5-HT2C
  • Receptors, Dopamine D3