[0001] The present invention relates to new indole derivates, processes for their preparation,
and pharmaceutical compositions containing them.
[0002] In accordance with the inventionthere are provided new compounds of formula I
wherein n is 2 or 3,
either A is trimethylene optionally substituted by (C1-4) alkyl or 1,4-cyclohexylidene and R1 is hydrogen or (C1-5) alkyl, or A together with R1 and the nitrogen atom to which R1 is bound, form a 4-piperidyl radical,
R2 is hydrogen or (C1-5) alkyl,
R3 is (C1-4) alkyl; (C3-6)cycloalkyl; amino; (Cl-4)alkylamino; di(C1-4)alkylamino; phenylamino wherein the phenyl ring is unsubstituted or mono-, di- or
trisubstituted independently by halogen, (C1-4)alkyl, (C1-4)alkoxy or di(Cl-4)alkylamino; phenyl or benzyl wherein the phenyl rings are unsubstituted or mono-,
di- or trisubstituted independently by halogen, hydroxy, (C1-4) alkyl, (C1-4)alkoxy or di-(C1-4)alkylamino; 2-,3- or 4-pyridylmethyl;or an aromatic 5- or 6-membered heterocycle
containing one heteroatom chosen from nitrogen, oxygen or sulphur and optionally additional
one or two nitrogen atoms,
R4 is hydrogen, chlorine, bromine or (C1-4)alkyl,
R5 is hydrogen, (Cl-4)alkyl, (C1-4)alkoxy or (C1-4)alkylthio, and X is -CO- or -CS-.
[0003] Any alkyl, alkoxy or alkylthio radical contains preferably two carbon atoms, especially
one carbon atom. Halogen means fluorine, chlorine, bromine or iodine, especially chlorine.
[0004] When A is 1,4-cyclohexylidene, this may be cis or trans-l,4-cyclohexylidene.
[0005] When A is optionally substituted trimethylene, this is preferably either unsubstituted
or monosubstituted, conveniently at the middle carbon atom.
[0006] When R
1 and R
2 are chosen from hydrogen or alkyl, these are preferably alkyl.
[0007] Conveniently A is optionally substituted trimethylene or 1,4-cyclohexylidene. Preferably
A is optionally substituted trimethylene.
[0008] When R
3 is or contains a dialkylamino radical, the alkyl groups are preferably the same.
When R
3 is an optionally substituted phenyl or phenylamino radical, the substituents are conveniently
identical. Conveniently these radicals are unsubstituted or monosubstituted preferably
in the para position. When R
3 is a heterocycle, conveniently this contains one heteroatom chosen from nitrogen,
oxygen or sulphur and optionally a second nitrogen atom, e.g. thienyl, furyl, pyrrolyl,
pyridyl or pyrazinyl. Conveniently the heterocycle is bound to X by a ring carbon
atom adjacent to a heteroatom.
[0009] R
3 is preferably unsubstituted phenyl.
[0010] R
4 and R
5 are conveniently hydrogen. X is conveniently -CO-.
[0011] The present invention provides a process for the production of a compound of formula
I as defined above, which comprises
a) acylating a compound of formula II
wherein n, A and R1 to R5 are as defined above, or
b) condensing a compound of formula III
wherein n, R4 and R5 are as defined above, and Y is a leaving group, with a compound of formula IV
wherein A, R1 to R3 and X are as defined above.
[0012] Process a) may be effected in conventional manner for the production of amides or
thio-amides from amines. For example there may be used, as acylating agent, a compound
of formula V
wherein X is as defined above, R
3' has the same signification as R
3 but is other than amino, alkylamino and optionally substituted phenylamino and Z
is chlorine or bromine. The reaction may be effected conveniently in a solvent such
as pyridine and at temperatures from O to 25°. Alternatively when R
3 is amino, alkylamino or optionally substituted phenylamino, there may be used a compound
of formula VI
wherein X is as defined above and R
6 is imino, alkylimino or optionally substituted phenylimino. The reaction may be effected
conveniently in a solvent such as dimethylformamide and at temperatures from 5 to
25°. A compound of formula VI wherein R
6 is imino may be prepared in situ from potassium or sodium cyanate or thiocyanate,
by treatment with acid , for example hydrochloric acid.
[0013] Process b) may be effected in conventional manner for a condensation reaction to
produce a secondary or tertiary amine. Y is conveniently chlorine, bromine, iodine,
tosyloxy or mesyloxy. The reaction may be conveniently effected in acetone or dimethylformamide.
Suitable reaction temperatures are from 20 to 150°.
[0014] The compounds of formula I may be isolated from the reaction mixture and purified
in known manner. The free base forms may be converted into acid addition salt forms
in the usual manner and vice versa. Suitable acids for salt formation are hydrochloric
acid, oxalic acid, fumaric acid naphthalene-2-sulphonic acid and naphthalene-l,5-disulphonic
acid.
[0015] The starting material of formula II may be produced from a compound of formula III
and a compound of formula VII
wherein A, R
1 and R
2 are as defined above, in analogous manner to process b).
[0016] When the amine of formula VII is unsymmetrical, the conditions should be chosen to
avoid the formation of the undesired corresponding compound produced by condensation
at the nitrogen atom bearing the R
1 substituent. For this purpose the amine may be used in protected form of formula
VIII
wherein R
7 is a protecting group, such as benzyl or benzyloxy, which may be removed from the
resulting product, e.g. by hydrogenolysis.
[0017] A starting material of formula IIa
wherein A
I is
or
and wherein R
8 is (C
1-4)alkyl and n, R
2, R
4 and
R5 are as defined above, may alternatively be produced by reducing a compound of formula
IX
wherein B is -CH(R
8)-CH
2- or -CH
2-CH(R
8)-and n, R
2, R
4, R
5 and R
8 are as defined above, e.g. by hydrogenation in the presence of Raney-nickel.
[0018] Any starting material of formula II wherein R
1 and/or R
2 is hydrogen may be converted into a corresponding compound wherein R
1 and R
2 are both alkyl, or R
1 is alkyl and R
2 is hydrogen under appropriate selective alkylation conditions.
[0019] The starting material of formula IV may be produced by acylating an amine of formula
VII in analogous manner to process a). If desired, one nitrogen atom of an unsymmetrical
amine may be protected to facilitate production of the desired product.
[0020] A starting material of formula IVa
wherein X, R
2 and R
3 are as defined above and A
II together with R
1 and the nitrogen atom to which R
1 is bound, form a 4-piperidyl radical, may alternatively be produced by acylating
4-piperidone with a compound of formula
V or VI and condensing the resulting compound of formula X
wherein X and R
3 are as defined above, with a compound of formula XI
wherein R
2 is as defined above, under simultaneous reduction, e.g. with hydrogen in presence
of a catalyst.
[0021] Insofar as the production of any starting material is not particularly described,
these are known or may be produced in conventional manner or in a manner analogous
to that described above.
[0022] In the following non-limitative Examples all temperatures are indicated in degrees
Centigrade.
EXAMPLE 1 N-benzoyl-N'-[3-(3-indolyl) Propyl]-N'- methyl-1,3-diaminopropane
[0023] A solution of 10.1 g benzoyl chloride in 15 ml anhydrous methylene chloride is added
dropwise with stirring for 25 minutes between 0 and 10° to a solution of 14.5 g N-[3-(3-indolyl)propyl]-N-methyl-l,3-diaminopropane
in 150 ml anhydrous pyridine and the reddish clear solution is stirred for 2 hours
at O°. The reaction mixture is divided between a 2N sodium carbonate solution and
methylene chloride, and the organic phase is washed, dried and evaporated. Chromatographic
purification of the resinous product on aluminium oxide using methylene chloride with
0.1 to 0.3% of methanol yields the title coumpound. The naphthalene-2-sulfonate-dihydrate,
obtained by conventional methods, melts at 73-74° after crystallization from methanol/water/ethyl
acetate (1:1:1).
[0024] The starting material may be obtained as follows :
a) A mixture of 57 g trifluoroacetic acid and 105 g trifluoroacetic anhydride in 400
ml anhydrous acetonitrile are added dropwise to a stirred suspension of 95.1 g 3-(3-indolyl)propionic
acid in 500 ml anhydrous acetonitrile and maintained with stirring at -15° for 30
minutes. Under good cooling 500 ml anhydrous pyridine are added between -20 and -15°
and quickly 238 ml of a 4.2 N solution of anhydrous methylamine in acetonitrile. The
mixture is warmed with stirring at O° for 15 minutes and maintained to O° for 3 hours.
3-(3-indolyl)-N-methyl-propionamide (M.pt 97-98° after crystallization from methylene
chloride/ethyl acetate) is obtained after working up.
b) A solution of 60.6 g 3-(3-indolyl)-N-methyl-propiona- mide in 500 ml anhydrous
tetrahydrofuran are added dropwise at 25° for 15 minutes under nitrogen atmosphere
to a suspension of 34.2 g lithium aluminium hydride in 800 ml anhydrous tetrahydrofuran
and maintained at 66° for 3 hours. N-methyl-3-(3-indolyl)-propylamine (M.pt 81-82°
after crystallization from methylene chloride/ethyl acetate) is obtained after working
up.
c) A mixture of 37.6 g N-methyl-3-(3-indolyl)-propylamine and 21,2 g acrylonitrile
in 65 ml anhydrous 1,2-dimethoxyethane are warmed with stirring at 60° for 2 1/2 hours.N-(2-cyanoethyl)-N-methyl-3-(3-indolyl)propylamine (M.pt 48-49° after crystallization
from isopropyl ether) is obtained after working up.
d) 36.2 g N-(2-cyanoethyl)-N-methyl-3-(3-indolyl)propyl amine are hydrogenated at
normal pressure and at room temperature with 20 g Raney-nickel catalyst in 400 ml
dioxan and 400 ml of a 10% ammonia solution. N-[3-(3-indolyl)propyl]-N-methyl-l,3-diaminopropane
is obtained after working up. M.pt of the neutral fumarate:180-181° (with decomposition)
after crystallization from ethanol.
EXAMPLE 2: N-henlcarbamol-N'-[2-(3-indolyl)ethyl]-N'- methyl-1,3-diaminopropane
[0026] 3 ml phenyl isocyanate are added dropwise between 5 and 10° and with stirring to
a solution of 5.8 g N-[2-(3- indolyl) ethyl]-N-methyl-1,3-diaminopropane in 25 ml
anhydrous dimethylformamide. The solution is stirred for an hour between 10 and 15°
and evaporated. The residue is dried in high vacuum and chromatographied on silicagel
using methylene chloridewith 6 to 10% methanol,to yield the title compound (M.pt.
of the hydrogen maleate 153-155° with decomposition after crystallization from alcohol/acetone).
[0027] The starting material may be obtained as follows:
a) Reaction of 3-[2-methylamino)ethyl]indole with acrylonitrile in dimethoxy-ethane
yields the N-(2-cyanoethyl)-N-methyl-2-(3-indolyl)ethylamine which is worked up further
directly.
b) Reduction of N-(2-cyanoethyl)-N-methyl-2-(3-indolyl)-ethylamine with Raney-Nickel
catalyst yields the N-[2-(3-indolyl)ethyl]-N-methyl-1,3-diaminopropane (M.pt. of the
fumarate 153-154°).
EXAMPLE 3: N-Benzoyl-N'-[2-(3-indolyl)ethyl-13-diamino- propane
[0028] A solution of 8 g N-benzoyl-l,3-diaminopropane, 6,7 g 3-(2-bromoethyl)indole and
5 ml anhydrous triethylamine in 15 ml anhydrous dimethylformamide is maintained for
72 hours in nitrogen atmosphere. A dilute ammonia solution and methylene chloride
are then added to the reaction mixture and the organic phase is dried and evaporated.
The residue is chromatographied on silicagel using as eluant methylene chloride+ 5%
methanol + 0,3% ammonia, to yield the title compound (M.pt. of the naphthalene-2-sulfonate
203-204° with decomposition after crystallization from ethanol).
[0029] The following compounds of formula
may be obtained in analogous manner to Example 3 :
EXEMPLE 4:
[0030] From the appropriate 4-amino-piperidines and 2-(3-indolyl)ethyl bromide or 3-(3-indolyl)propyl
bromide, the following compounds of formula
may be obtained in analogous manner to Example 3:
[0031] The compounds of formula I exhibit pharmacological activity in animals. In particular,
the compounds exhibit anti-hypertensive activity, as indicated by standard tests,
e.g. in the awake renal hypertonic Grollman rat upon administration of 1 to 50 mg/kg
animal body weight of the compounds, and in the awake renal hypertonic Goldblatt dog
upon administration of 1 to 10 mg/kg animal body weight of the compounds.
[0032] The compounds are therefore indicated for use as anti-hypertensives. For this use
an indicated daily dose is from about lO to about 2000 mg, conveniently administered
in divided doses 2 to 4 times a day in unit dosage form containing from about2,5 to
about 1000 mg, or in sustained release form.
[0033] A particularly interesting compound is the
Example 1 compound.
[0034] The compounds of formula I may be administered in pharmaceutically acceptable acid
addition salt form. Such salts exhibit the same order of activity as the free base
forms.
[0035] The invention also provides a pharmaceutical composition comprising a compound of
formula I, in free base or pharmaceutically acceptable acid addition salt form, in
association with a pharmaceutical carrier or diluent. A suitable pharmaceutical form
is a capsule.
[0036] In one group of compounds n is 3, A is trimethylene, R
1 is hydrogen or (C
1-5)alkyl, R
2 is hydrogen or (C
1-5)alkyl, R
3 is phenyl or benzyl unsubstituted or mono-, di- or trisubstituted independently by
halogen, hydroxy, (C
1-4)alkyl, (C
1-4)alkoxy or di-(C
1-4)alkylamino; (C3-6)cycloalkyl; or an aromatic 5- or 6-membered heterocycle containing
one heteroatom chosen from nitrogen, oxygen or sulphur, R
4 is hydrogen, chlorine, bromine or (C
1-4)alkyl, R
5 is hydrogen, (C
1-4)alkyl, (C
1-4)alkoxy, or (C
1-4)alkylthio, and X is -CO-.
[0037] In another group of compounds n is 2, either A is trimethylene and R
1 is hydrogen or (C
1-5) alkyl, or A together with R
1 and the nitrogen atom to which R
1 is bound form a 4-piperidyl radical, and R
2 is hydrogen or (C
1-5)alkyl, R
3 is (C
1-4)alkyl; phenyl unsubstituted or mono-, di- or trisubstituted independently by halogen,
(C
1-4)alkyl or (C
1-4)alkoxy; (C
3-6)cycloalkyl; or an aromatic 5- or 6-membered heterocycle containing one heteroatom
chosen from nitrogen, oxygen or sulphur, R
4 is hydrogen, chlorine, bromine or (C
1-4)alkyl, R
S is hydrogen, (C
1-4)alkyl or (C
1-4)alkoxy, and X is -CO- or -CS.
1) A compound of formula I
wherein n is 2 or 3, either A is trimethylene optionally substituted by (C
1-4)alkyl or 1, 4-cyclohexylidene and R
1 is hydrogen or (C
1-5) alkyl, or A together with R
1 and the nitrogen atom to which R
1 is bound, form a 4-piperidyl radical,
R2 is hydrogen or (C1-5)alkyl,
R3 is (C1-4) alkyl; (C3-6)cycloalkyl; amino; (C1-4)alkylamino; di(Cl-4)alkylamino; phenylamino wherein the phenyl ring is unsubstituted or mono-, di- or
trisubstituted independently by halogen, (C1-4)alkyl, (C1-4)alkoxy or di(Cl-4)alkylamino; phenyl or benzyl wherein the phenyl rings are unsubstituted or mono-,
di- or trisubstituted independently by halogen, hydroxy, (C1-4)alkyl, (C1-4)alkoxy or di-(C1-4)alkylamino; 2-,3- or 4-pyridylmethyl;or an aromatic 5- or 6-membered heterocycle
containing one heteroatom chosen from nitrogen, oxygen or sulphur and optionally additional
one or two nitrogen atoms,
R4 is hydrogen, chlorine,bromine or (C1-4)alkyl,
R5 is hydrogen, (C1-4)alkyl, (C1-4)alkoxy or (C1-4)alkylthio, and X is -CO- or -CS-.
2) A compound of claim 1 wherein n is 3,
A is trimethylene,
R1 is hydrogen or (C1-5) alkyl,
R2 is hydrogen or (C1-5)alkyl,
R3 is phenyl or benzyl unsubstituted or mono-, di- or trisubstituted independently by
halogen, hydroxy, (C1-4)alkyl, (C1-4)alkoxy or di-(C1-4)alkylamino; (C3-6)cycloalkyl; or an aromatic 5- or 6-membered heterocycle containing one heteroatom
chosen from nitrogen, oxygen or sulphur,
R4 is hydrogen, chlorine, bromine or (C1-4)alkyl,
R5 is hydrogen, (C1-4)alkyl, (C1-4)alkoxy, or (Cl-4) alkylthio, and X is -CO-.
3) A compound of claim 1 wherein n is 2 either A is trimethylene and R
1 is hydrogen or (C
1-5) alkyl,
or A together with R1 and the nitrogen atom to which R1 is bound form a 4-piperidyl radical,
R2 is hydrogen or (C1-5) alkyl,
R3 is (C1-4)alkyl; phenyl unsubstituted or mono-, di- or trisubstituted independently by halogen,
(C1-4)alkyl or (C1-4)alkoxy; (C3-6)cycloalkyl; or an aromatic 5- or 6-membered heterocycle containing one heteroatom
chosen from nitrogen, oxygen or sulphur
R4 is hydrogen, chlorine, bromine or (C1-4)alkyl,
R5 is hydrogen, (C1-4)alkyl or (C1-4)alkoxy, and X is -CO- or -CS-.
4) A compound of claim 1 which is N-benzoyl-N'-[3-(3-indolyl)propyl]-N'-methyl-l,3-diaminopropane.
5) A compound of claim 1 which is N-methyl-N-benzoyl-N'-methyl-N'-[2-(3-indolyl)ethyl]-2-methyl-1,3-diaminopropane.
6) A compound of any one of claims 1 to 5 in free base form.
7) A compound of any one of claims 1 to 5 in acid addition salt form.
8) A process for the production of a compound of formula I as defined in claim 1,
which comprises
a) acylating a compound of formula II
wherein n, A and R1 to R5 are as defined in claim 1, or
b) condensing a compound of formula III
wherein n, R4 and R5 are as defined in claim 1, and Y is a leaving group, with a compound of formula IV
wherein A, R1 to R3 and X are as defined in claim 1.
9) A pharmaceutical composition comprising a compound according to any one of claims
1 to 5 in free base form or in pharmaceutically acceptable acid addition salt form
in association with a pharmaceutical carrier or diluent.