Roles of two basic nitrogen atoms in 1-substituted 4-(1,2-diphenylethyl)piperazine derivatives in production of opioid agonist and antagonist activities

To ascertain roles of the two basic nitrogen atoms in 1-substituted 4-2,(3-hydroxyphenyl)-1-phenylethyl]-piperazine derivatives (1) in the expression of opioid agonist and antagonist activities, a methine group (CH) was isosterically substituted for nitrogen atom at the 1-position (N-1) in compound 1 to obtain 4-substituted 1-2-(3-hydroxyphenyl)-1-phenylethyl]piperidine derivatives (2). Their analgesic action and ability to produce physical dependence (jump-producing activity) as the mu-opioid receptor specific in vivo actions, and narcotic antagonist action in mice were compared with those of compound 1. Results of this study showed that, in cases of the racemate and the (S)-(+) enantiomer, opioid agonist activities (analgesic and jump-producing activities) were not greatly affected by the methine-substitution for N-1 in compound 1, but that the narcotic antagonist activity of the (R)-(-) enatiomer was abolished by this substitution. It thus appears that N-1 in compound 1 contributes to the expression of narcotic antagonist activity, whereas the nitrogen atom at the 4-position corresponds to the tyramine moiety necessary for the expression of mu-opioid agonist activity.