Synthesis of morphan derivatives with additional substituents in 8-position

Abstract

Abstract The morphan system (2-azabicyclo[3.3.1]nonane) as a substructure of morphine is of major interest in medicinal chemistry. Herein, the synthesis of morphan derivatives with additional substituents at the propano bridge is reported. In order to avoid the isolation of the smelly and volatile nitrile 6 and the very polar primary amine 9, an efficient one-pot, three-step sequential transformation of the mesylate 5 into amides 10 was developed. The key step of the synthesis was the stereoselective intramolecular opening of the epoxides 11a–d leading to the exo-configured 8-hydroxymorphans 12a–d. The configuration of the exo-configured hydroxymorphan 12d bearing the κ- and σ-pharmacophoric 3,4-dichlorophenylacetyl moiety was inverted by oxidation and stereoselective reduction. An X-ray crystal structure analysis of the benzamide 12c confirmed the relative configuration of the hydroxymorphans 12a–d and 14d.