Discovery of potent cyclic GMP phosphodiesterase inhibitors. 2-Pyridyl- and 2-imidazolylquinazolines possessing cyclic GMP phosphodiesterase and thromboxane synthesis inhibitory activities

Article abstract of DOI:10.1021/jm00018a014

Moderate cyclic GMP phosphodiesterase (cGMP-PDE, PDE V) inhibitor 2- phenyl-4-anilino-quinazoline (1) was identified utilizing MultiCASE assisted drug design (MCADD) technology. Modification of compound 1 was conducted at the 2-, 4-, and 6-positions of the quinazoline ring for enhancement of cGMP- PDE inhibitory activity. The 6-substituted 2-(imidazol-1-yl)-quinazolines are 1000 times more potent in in vitro PDE V enzyme assay than the well-known inhibitor zaprinast. The 6-substituted derivatives of 2-(3- pyridyl)quinazoline 84 and 2-(imidazol-1-yl)quinazoline 86 exhibited more than 1000-fold selectivity for PDE V over the other four PDE isozymes. In addition, cGMP-PDE inhibitors 64, 65, and 73 were found to have an additional property of thromboxane synthesis inhibitory activity.