Binding of nicotine and homoazanicotine analogues at neuronal nicotinic acetylcholinergic (nACh) receptors

A total of 20 substituted analogues of nicotine ( 1a) and homoazanicotine ( 3a) were examined in order to determine whether or not they might bind in a similar manner at α4β2 nicotinic acetylcholinergic (nACh) receptors. It was found that parallel structural changes in the two series resulted in parallel shifts in affinity. Evidence suggests that the two series are binding in a comparable fashion. A series of homoazanicotine derivatives 3 was found to bind at α4β2 nACh receptors in a manner that appears to parallel that of their corresponding racemic nicotine counterparts.