Monomethyl Ether Derivatives of 7,8-Dihydroxy- and 8,9-Dihydroxy-4-n-propyl-1,2,3,4,4a,5,6,10b-octahydrobenzoquinolines as Possible Products of Metabolism by Catechol-O-methyltransferase

Article abstract of DOI:10.1021/jm00169a031

In order to facilitate identification of possible metabolites arising from in vitro action of catechol-O-methyltransferase upon 7,8-dihydroxy- and 8,9-dihydroxy-4-n-propyl-1,2,3,4,4a,5,6,10b-octahydrobenzoquinolines (11, 12), all four possible monomethyl ether derivatives have been synthesized.Incubation of 11 and 12 with the enzyme revealed that the 8,9-dihydroxy positional isomer 12 (which contains the dopamine moiety held in the β conformation) but not the 7,8-dihydroxy isomer 11 (which holds the dopamine moiety in the α conformation) was a substrate for theenzyme.The sole detectable product of 12 was 8-hydroxy-9-methoxy derivative 15 in which the "meta" hydroxy group of the dopamine moiety is etherified.