omega-(Imidazol-4-yl)alkane-1-sulfonamides: a new series of potent histamine H(3) receptor antagonists

Triazole ligands reveal distinct molecular features that induce histamine H4 receptor affinity and subtly govern H4/H3 subtype selectivity

The histamine H(3) (H(3)R) and H(4) (H(4)R) receptors attract considerable interest from the medicinal chemistry community. Given their relatively high homology yet widely differing therapeutic promises, ligand selectivity for the two receptors is crucial. We interrogated H(4)R/H(3)R selectivities using ligands with a [1,2,3]triazole core. Cu(I)-assisted "click chemistry" was used to assemble diverse [1,2,3]triazole compounds (6a-w and 7a-f), many containing a peripheral imidazole group. The imidazole ring posed some problems in the click chemistry putatively due to Cu(II) coordination, but Boc protection of the imidazole and removal of oxygen from the reaction mixture provided effective strategies. Pharmacological studies revealed two monosubstituted imidazoles (6h,p) with <10 nM H(4)R affinities and >10-fold H(4)R/H(3)R selectivity. Both compounds possess a cycloalkylmethyl group and appear to target a lipophilic pocket in H(4)R with high steric precision. The use of the [1,2,3]triazole scaffold is further demonstrated by the notion that simple changes in spacer length or peripheral groups can reverse the selectivity toward H(3)R. Computational evidence is provided to account for two key selectivity switches and to pinpoint a lipophilic pocket as an important handle for H(4)R over H(3)R selectivity.

Vibrational analyses of sulfamoyl halides NH2SO2X (X is F, Cl and Br)

The structural stability of sulfamoyl halides NH(2)-SO(2)X (X is F, Cl and Br) were investigated by DFT-B3LYP/6-311+G** and ab initio MP2/6-311+G** calculations. From the calculations the molecules were predicted to exist only in the anti (XS bond is anti with respect to nitrogen lone pair) conformation with the possibility of very low abundance of the syn (SO(2) and NH(2) groups eclipse each other) form of only the fluoride. The equilibrium constant for the syn<-->anti conformational conversion of sulfamoyl fluoride was calculated to be 0.0172 that corresponds to an equilibrium mixture of about 2% syn and 98% anti at 298.15K. The vibrational frequencies were computed at DFT-B3LYP level for the stable anti conformer of the d(0) and d(2) (ND(2)-SO(2)X) deuterated species of the three molecules. Normal coordinate calculations were then carried out and the potential energy distributions were calculated for the molecules.

Vibrational analyses of vinylsulfonamide CH2CHSO2NH2

The structure and conformational stability of vinylsulfonamide CH2CHSO2NH2 were investigated by DFT-B3LYP/6-311+G** and ab initio MP2/6-311+G** calculations. From the calculations the molecule was predicted to exist predominantly in the gauche-syn (vinyl group nearly eclipses one of the SO bonds and the NH2 and the SO2 moieties eclipse each other) conformation with the possibility of low abundance of the cis-syn and the gauche-anti forms. The asymmetric potential function for the internal rotation about CS bond was determined for the molecule. The vibrational frequencies were computed at DFT-B3LYP level for the gauche-syn conformer of the molecule and its d2(C2H3SO2ND2) and d3(C2D3SO2NH2) deuterated species. Normal coordinate calculations were then carried out and the potential energy distributions were calculated for the molecule.

An Efficient Multigram Synthesis of the Potent Histamine H3 Antagonist GT-2331 and the Reassessment of the Absolute Configuration

GT-2331 is a potent histamine H(3) antagonist which has entered clinical trials. Efficient multigram syntheses of this compound and its enantiomer are described. The literature reports that GT-2331 is the dextrorotatory (+), more potent, enantiomer of 4-[2-(5,5-dimethylhex-1-ynyl)cyclopropyl]-1H-imidazole with the absolute configuration of (1R,2R)-1. However, we found that the dextrorotatory, more potent, enantiomer of 4-[2-(5,5-dimethylhex-1-ynyl)cyclopropyl]-1H-imidazole has the (1S,2S) absolute configuration. We suggest a reconsideration of the absolute configuration of GT-2331.

The role of HB-donor groups in the heterocyclic polar fragment of H3-antagonists

It has been recently reported that compounds composed of an imidazole connected through an alkyl spacer to a 2-aminobenzimidazole showed high affinity towards the H(3)-receptor. The guanidine fragment of the 2-aminobenzimidazole is probably involved in hydrogen bond interactions at the binding site, and is referred to as the 'polar fragment'. In the present work, starting from 2-aminobenzimidazole derivatives with a di-methylene spacer 1 (pK(i)=7.25) or a tri-methylene one 2 (pK(i)=8.90), we investigated the importance of the hydrogen bond (HB) donor groups at the polar fragment in the interaction with the H(3)-receptor. The replacement of 2-aminobenzimidazoles with different moieties [2-aminobenzothiazole, 3, 4; 2-thiobenzimidazole, 5, 6; 2-thiobenzothiazole, 7, 8; 2-thio-4-phenyl- or 2-thio-5-phenyl-N-methylimidazoles, 9-12] highlighted the effect of the polar group basicity on the optimal length of the alkyl chain: longer spacers were preferred with polar groups of moderate basicity whereas, in the presence of neutral polar groups, the best affinity values were obtained with di-methylene chains. Moreover, N-methylation at the 2-aminobenzimidazole moiety 13-16 revealed different behaviour for compounds having different spacer lengths. In fact, methylation of the exocyclic NH group maintained high affinity for the tri-methylene 2-aminobenzimidazole derivative, while a drop in affinity was observed for the annular N-methylation. An opposite trend characterised di-methylene derivatives. These observed SAR suggest that, within this class of compounds, the number of HB-donor groups can be lowered while maintaining high receptor affinity. Since the presence of HB-donor groups strongly affects brain access, this observation could be useful to design and prepare new H(3)-antagonists.