Probes for narcotic receptor mediated phenomena. 40. N-Substituted cis-4a-ethyl-1,2,3,4,4a,9a-hexahydrobenzofuro[2,3-c]pyridin-8-ols Original Research Article

A series of N-substituted rac-cis-4a-ethyl-1,2,3,4,4a,9a-hexahydrobenzofuro[2,3-c]pyridin-8-ols have been prepared using a simple synthetic route previously designed for synthesis of related cis-2-methyl-4a-alkyl-1,2,3,4,4a,9a-hexahydrobenzofuro[2,3-c]pyridin-6-ols. The new phenolic compounds, where the aromatic hydroxy moiety is situated ortho to the oxygen atom in the oxide-bridged ring, do not interact as well as the pyridin-6-ols with opioid receptors. The N-para-fluorophenethyl derivative had the highest μ-opioid receptor affinity of the examined compounds (Ki = 0.35 μM).