Dimeric positive allosteric modulators of ionotropic glutamate receptors were designed, synthesized, and characterized pharmacologically in electrophysiological experiments. The designed compounds are dimers of arylpropylsulfonamides and have been constructed without a linker. The monomeric arylpropylsulfonamides were derived from known modulators and target the cyclothiazide-binding site at the AMPA receptors. The three stereoisomers--R,R, meso, and S,S--of the two constructed dimers were prepared, and in vitro testing showed the R,R forms to be the most potent stereoisomers. The biarylpropylsulfonamides have dramatically increased potencies, more than three orders of magnitude higher than the corresponding monomers. Dimer (R,R)-2a was cocrystallized with the GluR2-S1S2J construct, and an X-ray crystallographic analysis showed (R,R)-2a to bridge two identical binding pockets on two neighboring GluR2 subunits. Thus, this is biostructural evidence of a homomeric dimer bridging two identical receptor-binding sites.

A series of compounds based on the mGluR5-selective ligand 2-methyl-6-(phenylethynyl)pyridine (MPEP) were designed and synthesized. The compounds were found to be either structural analogues of MPEP, substituted monomers, or dimeric analogues. All compounds retained mGluR5 selectivity with only weak or no activity at other mGluRs or iGluRs. The substituted analogue, 1,3-bis(pyridin-2-ylethynyl)benzene (19), is a potent negative modulator at mGluR5, whereas all other compounds lost potency relative to MPEP and showed that activity is highly dependent on the position of the nitrogen atom in the pyridine moieties. A homology modeling and ligand docking study was used to understand the binding mode and the observed selectivity of compound 19.

Introduction of aryl and heteroaryl substituents into the 5-position of 3-benzyloxyisothiazole (1) using palladium-catalyzed Suzuki and Negishi cross-coupling reactions was investigated. Attempts to generate synthetically viable nucleophilic species from 1 for Suzuki- or Negishi-type cross-couplings were unsuccessful. However, using 3-benzyloxy-5-iodoisothiazole 2 as an intermediate, a range of aromatic and heteroaromatic substituents were successfully introduced under Suzuki or Negishi cross-coupling conditions in good to excellent yields.

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