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H. Dehmlow et al. / Bioorg. Med. Chem. Lett. 23 (2013) 4627–4632
done head group was identified as a suitable bioisosteric replace-
hGPBAR1, EC50 = 0.045 µM
mGPBAR1, EC50 = 2.0 µM
NCI-H716, EC50 = 2.9 µM
logD7.4 = 3.4
solubility (pH 6.5): <1 mg/L
CYP3A4 IC50 <0.2 µM
mouse Clmic = 460 µL/min/mg
ment for the 2-methylpyridine (compound 19, EC50 = 8 nM). To
improve the drug-likeness of the highly lipophilic (logD7.4 > 4)
and metabolically unstable (mouse Clmic = 730 l )
L minꢀ1 mgꢀ1
bromide 18, various carboxylic acid derivatives were prepared
(compounds 20–23). Of these, para-substituted biphenylcarboxylic
acid 22 was the most potent one and was chosen as lead com-
pound for more extensive characterisation.
3
The individual enantiomers of 22 were obtained by preparative
chiral HPLC separation, revealing that the (R)-enantiomer is about
fivefold more potent than the (S)-enantiomer (Table 3).24 For a
more efficient access to enantiomerically pure compounds we de-
vised a different synthetic route, which could be scaled up to mul-
tigram amounts (Scheme 2). Thus, 3,3-diarylpropionic acid 26,
which was produced in accordance with literature procedures,25,26
was transformed into the Weinreb amide 27 under standard condi-
tions.27 This intermediate could be easily separated into its enanti-
Figure 2. Profile of the HTS hit 3.
Oxime 3 was identified in a high-throughput screening cam-
paign of the corporate compound library. The compound was a full
agonist with EC50 values of 45 nM and 2.0 lM at recombinant
(CHO-expressed) human and mouse GPBAR1, respectively
(Fig. 2). The compound also was able to stimulate cAMP production
(EC50 = 2.9 lM) in the human intestinal enteroendocrine cell line
NCI-H716, which endogenously expresses GPBAR1.18 For compari-
omers (ꢀ)-(R)-27 and (+)-(S)-27 by preparative HPLC on
a
son, the reference compound INT-777 (1) was less potent in this
assay (EC50 = 13 lM). Oxime 3, although stable in aqueous solution
Chiralpak-AD column (1 kg scale).
For the synthesis of compounds with a 2-methylpyridin-4-yl
head group, 4-bromo-2-methylpyridine was lithiated at ꢀ100 °C
(the low temperature was necessary to minimise side reactions
owing to the C–H acidity of the 2-picoline subunit) and reacted
with 27, leading to ketone 28. Benzoic acid derivative 22 was ob-
tained by Suzuki coupling28,29 of 28 with 4-carboxybenzeneboron-
ic acid, followed by reaction of the coupling product with
hydroxylamine and acidic equilibration towards the thermody-
namically more stable (E)-stereoisomer. Piperidine-4-carboxylic
acid derivative 29 was produced from 28 by Buchwald–Hartwig
amination30 with ethyl piperidine-4-carboxylate, followed by ester
hydrolysis, oxime formation, and acidic equilibration.
at pH 1–10 (>90% recovery after 2 h at 37 °C), suffered from poor
physicochemical properties, such as high lipophilicity and poor
aqueous solubility. Moreover, 3 was a sub-micromolar inhibitor
of the CYP450 isoform 3A4.
Oxime 3 was prepared in a straightforward manner by 1,4-addi-
tion of benzeneboronic acid/diethylzinc19 to the known azachal-
cone 4,20,21 followed by condensation of the ketone intermediate
5 with hydroxylamine (Scheme 1).22 The isomeric oximes 3 and
6 could be separated by column chromatography. In comparison
to (E)-oxime 3, the (Z)-isomer 6 was about sixfold less active
(EC50 = 0.27
l
M), whereas the ketone intermediate 5 did not show
any in vitro potency (EC50 > 10
l
M).
The synthesis of compounds with a 1-methyl-2-oxopyridin-5-yl
head group started from 5-bromo-2-methoxypyridine, which after
halogen–lithium exchange was reacted with Weinreb amide 27,
followed by acidic ether cleavage and methylation of the pyridone
nitrogen, leading to ketone intermediate 30. The (Z)- to (E)-equili-
bration of oximes 22 and 29 likely involves protonation of the basic
pyridine nitrogen, which pyridones 31 and 32 are devoid of; there-
fore the synthetic sequence had to be slightly adapted. For benzoic
acid 31, ketone 30 was first transformed into the corresponding
oxime, which after selective precipitation of the desired (E)-isomer
from ethyl acetate was coupled with 4-carboxybenzeneboronic
acid. Methylsulfone 32 was produced from 30 by a copper(I)-cata-
lysed process using sodium methanesulfinate,31 followed by oxime
formation and HPLC separation from the undesired (Z)-isomer.
Biphenyl-4-carboxylic acid (R)-22 was a potent agonist both at
the mouse and human GPBAR1 (Table 3), whereas it was inactive
in the FXR transactivation assay.32,33 The submicromolar potency
was also preserved in NCI-H716 cells, displaying a high efficacy rel-
ative to lithocholic acid. In comparison with the HTS hit 3, lipophil-
icity is lower, which results in appreciable aqueous solubility.
Likewise, the reduced microsomal clearance of (R)-22 translates
into a favourable PK in mice with high bioavailability.
Some initial SAR data around the HTS hit 3 are shown in Table 1.
Oxime O-methylation is not tolerated (compound 7), nor is
replacement of the 4-pyridyl head group by 2- or 3-pyridyl, phenyl,
or 4-fluorophenyl (compounds 8–11). In contrast, the SAR around
the phenyl substituent (R2 in Table 1) is rather flat (compounds
12–15), with an ortho methyl slightly enhancing the potency,
whereas replacement of the phenyl by small alkyl groups such as
ethyl is not tolerated (compound 16).
The o-tolyl derivative 17 was used as a template for further
evaluation (Table 2). Like the HTS hit 3, compound 17 was a potent
inhibitor of the CYP3A4 isoform, which is a well-known property of
lipophilic ortho-unsubstituted pyridines.23 The interaction with
CYP3A4 could be disrupted by introduction of a methyl group next
to the pyridine nitrogen without compromising the potency at the
human GPBAR1 (18, EC50 = 28 nM). Alternatively, an N-methylpyri-
The high exposure of (R)-22 is paralleled by sustained PYY
secretion in C57Bl/6 mice, reaching plasma concentrations that
are significantly above the baseline levels of 100–200 pg mLꢀ1 after
a single oral dose of 50 or 100 mg kgꢀ1. Figure 3 illustrates the
plasma concentration–effect relationship of (R)-22 determined at
various time points (0.1 h < t < 25 h). The timing of maximal plas-
ma levels for (R)-22 and PYY suggests a direct response mechanism
systemically mediated. When corrected by these plasma binding
effects (plasma free fraction about 0.2%), the in vitro EC50 of
140 nM translates into
a total plasma exposure of about
31,500 ng mLꢀ1. The intravenous dose at 2 mg kgꢀ1 showed only
a trend for increased PYY secretion at the highest exposures, in line
with the lower plasma levels achieved through this route.
Scheme 1. Reagents and conditions: (a) PhB(OH)2, Et2Zn, toluene, 60 °C (62%); (b)
NH2OH.HCl, NaOAc, EtOH, reflux (86%, E/Z ca. 6:1).