Discovery of a Potent, Peripherally Selective trans-3,4-Dimethyl-4-(3-hydroxyphenyl)piperidine Opioid Antagonist for the Treatment of Gastrointestinal Motility Disorders

Structure-activity relationship studies were pursued within N-substituted-trans-3,4-dimethyl-4-(3-hydroxyphenyl)piperidines in an effort to discover a peripherally selective opioid antagonist with high activity following systemic administration. Altering the size and the polarity of the N-substituent led to the discovery of 3 (LY246736). Compound 3 has high affinity for opioid receptors (Ki = 0.77, 40, and 4.4 nM for mu, kappa, and delta receptors, respectively). It is a potent mu receptor antagonist following parenteral and oral administration and distributes selectively (> 200-fold selectivity) to peripheral receptors. Thus, 3 has properties suitable for the clinical investigation of mu opioid receptor involvement in GI motility disorders.