Eseroline
Opioid analgesic compound
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Eseroline is a drug which acts as an opioid agonist.[1] It is a metabolite of the acetylcholinesterase inhibitor physostigmine but unlike physostigmine, the acetylcholinesterase inhibition produced by eseroline is weak and easily reversible,[2][3] and it produces fairly potent analgesic effects mediated through the μ-opioid receptor.[4] This mixture of activities gives eseroline an unusual pharmacological profile,[5][6] although its uses are limited by side effects such as respiratory depression[7] and neurotoxicity.[8]
| |
 | |
| Clinical data | |
|---|---|
| Other names | Eseroline |
| ATC code |
|
| Identifiers | |
| |
| CAS Number | |
| PubChem CID | |
| ChemSpider | |
| UNII | |
| ChEBI | |
| CompTox Dashboard (EPA) | |
| Chemical and physical data | |
| Formula | C13H18N2O |
| Molar mass | 218.300 g·mol−1 |
| 3D model (JSmol) | |
| |
| |
| (verify) | |
Synthesis
The alkylation of phenacetin (1) with dimethyl sulfate gives N-methylphenetidine (2). Treatment with 2-bromopropanoyl bromide gives 2-bromo-N-(4-ethoxyphenyl)-N-methylpropanamide (3). Treatment with aluminium trichloride results in 1,3-dimethyl-5-hydroxyoxindole (4). Alkylation with diethyl sulfate gives 5-ethoxy-1,3-dimethylindolin-2-one (5). Base-catalyzed treatment with chloroacetonitrile gives 2-(5-ethoxy-1,3-dimethyl-2-oxoindol-3-yl)acetonitrile (6). Catalytic hydrogenation of the nitrile group gives (7). Mono-methylation of the primary amine gives (8). Intramolecular reductive amination gives eserethole (9). Cleavage of the ethyl ether protecting group gave (-)-eseroline (10). Optional treatment with methyl isocyanide (MIC) leads to physostigmine.
