Aporphines. 31. Synthesis and antitumor activity of aporphine nitrogen mustards.

A series of aporphine nitrogen mustards and their congeners (1b-g) has been prepared. N-[[Bis(2-chloroethyl)-amino]-2,11-dihyroxy-10-methoxynoraporphine (1b) and its mono- and diacetyl ester derivatives (1c-d) were prepared from N-(chloroacetyl)-2,11-diacetoxy-10-methoxynoraporphine (2). Reaction of 2 with diethanolamine under various conditions and different solvents resulted in the corresponding N-[[bis(2-hydroxyethyl)amino]acetyl] precursors, which were subsequently treated with SOCl2 to yield the target compounds. N-(2-Choroethyl)norapocodeine (1e) was obtained from the chlorination of N-(2-hydroxyethyl)norapocodeine (9) with SOCl2. Prolonging such treatment was found to result in the formation of N-[2-(chloroethoxy)ethyl]norapocodeine (1f) at the expense of 1e. N-[[[N'-(2-Chloroethyl)carbamyl]oxy]ethyl]norapocodeine (1g) and its 11-(2-chloroethyl)carbamyl derivative (1h) were also prepared. All the double-armed aporphine amide nitrogen mustards (ab-d) were found to have antitumor activity. The single-armed aporphine nitrogen mustard (1e) was also active in P388 but the activity was less than that observed with 1b-d. The lead compound 1a was inactive in the LE1210 and P388 systems at the doses tested. Similarly, the two aporphine mustard congeners (1f,g) were also inactive in the P388 system. All the activity was observed in the intraperitoneally innoculated tumor systems.

Isoquinolines. 6. Potential central nervous system antitumor agents. Nitrogen mustards of 3-amino-4-(p-aminophenyl)isoquinoline.

A series of 3-amino-4-(p-aminophenyl)isoquinolines bearing the bis(2-chloroethyl)amino group was synthesized as potential CNS antitumor agents. Diol precursors 1e and 1f were prepared by the treatment of 1b and 1c with ethylene oxide. Diol precursors 5a-c and 9 were prepared by the treatment of 4a-c and 8 with diethanolamine. The reaction of these diols with SOCl2 yielded target mustards 10-15 which were evaluated in the intraperitoneal murine L1210 tumor. No intermediates or target mustards were active in this tumor system.

Aporphines. 58. N-(2-chloroethyl) [8,9-2H]norapomorphine, an irreversible ligand for dopamine receptors: synthesis and application.

The synthesis of the title compounds (1c and its 2H isomer 1b) from N-(2-hydroxyethyl)norapomorphine was carried out by ring bromination, followed by chlorination to the 2-chloroethyl compound 6. Further reduction with 2H2 or 3H2 and Pd/C gave 1b or 1c. Radiochemically pure (97%) 1c was obtained with a specific activity of 16.3 Ci/mmol. The purity of 1c was determined by LC, HPLC, UV, and NMR. [3H]NCA was shown to label the D2 receptor; however, the D2 signal appears to be only a small portion of the total signal, which may include binding to other dopamine receptor subtypes (D1 and D3).