Fluorescent Agonists of the α7 Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptor Derived from 3-Amino-Quinuclidine

Here, we investigated whether fluorescence labeled small molecule agonists of the α7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) might be identified to enhance receptor studies. Enantiomerically pure 3‐amino‐quinuclidines appended with fluorophores at the 3‐amino group were synthesized and tested by electrophysiology on human α7 nAChR in Xenopus oocytes, uncovering (R)‐4 and (R)‐9 as the first examples of fluorescent α7 nAChR agonists. These molecules elegantly incorporate the fluorescent reporter group as part of the pharmacophore itself and provide a new class of tool compounds for the study of these ligand‐gated ion channels.