Synthesis and Evaluation of 2,3-Dihydrobenzofuran Analogues of the Hallucinogen 1-(2,5-Dimethoxy-4-methylphenyl)-2-aminopropane: Drug Discrimination Studies in Rats

Article abstract of DOI:10.1021/jm00152a022

Two analogues, 6-(2-aminopropyl)-5-methoxy-2,3-dihydrobenzofuran and 6-(2-aminopropyl)-5-methoxy-2-methyl-2,3-dihydrobenzofuran, of the hallucinogenic agent 1-(2,5-dimethoxy-4-methylphenyl)-2-aminopropane (DOM) were synthesized and tested in the two-lever drug discrimination paradigm.In rats trained to discriminate saline from LSD tartrate (0.08 mg/kg), stimulus generalization occurred to both of the 2,3-dihydrobenzofuran analogues but at doses more than 10-fold higher than for DOM.A possible explanation for this dramatic attenuation of LSD-like activity could involve a highly directional electrophilic binding site on the receptor that cannot accept the orientation of the unshared electron pairs on the heterocyclic oxygen atom in the benzofurans.