The circular dichroism (cd) spectra of nineteen aporphines of widely differing substitution patterns have been examined between 200 and 400 nm. Three major cd band systems exist, in the 220, 270-280, and 300 nm region. Two intense oppositely-signed Cotton effects (CE's) between 200 and 250 nm are substitutionindependent and configuration-dependent, as is the third CE at 270-283 nm. In the region 293-327 nm, there are two further CE's which are substitution-dependent. In the case of symmetrically (1,2,10,11) substituted aporphines, the bands in the 300 nm region are split into two oppositely-signed CE's with a pattern similar to that observed for the 220 nm region. 'Publication No. 30 in the series Optical Rotatory Dispersion and Absolute Configuration, 80 Cd spectra were measured in 95% ethanol on a Roussel-Jouan Mark II dichrograph or a Jasco ORD-CD5 spectropolarimeter at 20°.

4-[(2-Chloroethyl)methylamino]-2-butynyl N-(3-chlorophenyl)carbamate (2) and 4-[(2-bromoethyl)methylamino]-2-butynyl N-(3-chlorophenyl)carbamate (3) were synthesized. Compounds 2 and 3 cyclized at neutral pH to an aziridinium ion (4). The rate constants for the cyclization of 2 and 3 at 37 degrees C were about 0.01 and 0.4 min-1, respectively, as measured by titrimetric analysis and by 1H NMR spectroscopy. The aziridinium ion had 1/4 the potency of McN-A-343 (1) as a ganglionic muscarinic stimulant in the anesthetized, pentolinium-treated rat but showed no muscarinic effects on the isolated guinea pig ileum. It caused alkylation of muscarinic receptors in homogenates of the rat cerebral cortex. An irreversible blockade of central muscarinic receptors was also observed after intravenous administration of 3 to mice. Because of its selectivity, irreversible actions, and ability to pass into the central nervous system, 3 should become a valuable tool in studies of muscarinic receptors.

A series of phenyl-substituted analogues of the muscarinic agent oxotremorine (1) have been prepared. The new compounds (3b-11b and 9c) were assayed for antimuscarinic activity on the isolated guinea pig ileum and in intact mice. They were also evaluated for ability to inhibit the binding of the muscarinic antagonist (-)-[3H]-N-methylscopolamine to homogenates of the rat cerebral cortex. The phenyl-substituted derivatives were devoid of intrinsic muscarinic activity. Instead, they behaved as competitive muscarinic antagonists in these assays with similar or lower affinity for muscarinic receptors than the corresponding methyl-substituted analogues. The succinimide (8b) and the pyrrolidone (3b) derivatives of 1 substituted with a phenyl group at position 1 of the butynyl chain showed the highest antimuscarinic potency with dissociation constants (KD) of 0.10 and 0.20 microM, respectively, in the ileum assay. The phenyl-substituted analogues showed an approximately 10-fold lower in vivo antimuscarinic potency than their corresponding methyl-substituted positional isomers. A correlation was observed between in vitro and in vivo potency within subsets consisting of methyl- and phenyl-substituted derivatives.

Dissociation constants (KA) and relative efficacies of acetylcholine, (+)‐methacholine and (‐)‐methacholine at muscarinic receptors in the guinea‐pig isolated ileum were determined in the absence and presence of the cholinesterase inhibitor diisopropylfluorophosphate. The method used involved analysis of dose‐response data before and after fractional inactivation of receptors with propylbenzilylcholine mustard. The KA values, estimated after cholinesterase inhibition, of acetylcholine, (+)‐ and (‐)‐methacholine were 1.7, 2.0 and 620 μM, respectively. The large (730 fold) difference in spasmogenic activity between (+)‐ and (‐)‐methacholine is due primarily to a difference in affinity for ileal muscarinic receptors although differences in efficacy (2 to 4 fold) also contribute. It is suggested that the methyl group at the chiral centre of (+)‐methacholine has no apparent effect on the binding to muscarinic receptors, whereas the corresponding methyl group of (‐)‐methacholine interferes with binding, presumably by stabilizing a conformation of the drug which does not fit the receptor very well.

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