Towards "unmakable" psychedelics: SAR exploration of psilocin analogs obtained by a HATU-mediated amide coupling strategy

A new synthetic method produces 4-hydroxytryptamines (the chemical family that includes psilocin and psilocybin) with high versatility for exploring how changes to the nitrogen atom affect biological activity. The approach uses a stable precursor and mild conditions to create sterically hindered, chiral, and electron-deficient variants, including close relatives of iprocin. Testing these compounds on serotonin receptors 1A and 2A revealed that adding bulkier groups to the nitrogen lowers affinity for the 5-HT2A receptor, while azetidinyl tryptamines with a terminal aryl group show remarkably high affinity.

Study at a glance

Abstract

4-Hydroxytryptamines such as psilocin and its prodrug psilocybin are of considerable current interest for innovative antidepressant and other neuropsychiatric treatments. We here present a synthetic route towards 4-hydroxytryptamines displaying a high versatility for SAR exploration at the aliphatic nitrogen. The core concept is to apply HATU-mediated amide couplings to a readily accessible and stable N 1 -Boc-indole-3-glyoxylic acid precursor followed by N -deprotection under mild conditions. We illustrate the versatility of this approach by the synthesis of various sterically hindered, conformationally constrained, chiral, and electron-deficient 4-hydroxytryptamines, including closely related congeners of iprocin. In addition, the structure-activity relationships of the obtained compounds are explored with a focus on their interaction with the serotonin receptors 1A and 2A (5-HT 1/2A ). An increase in steric bulk at the aliphatic nitrogen appears to be detrimental to the affinity to the 5-HT 2A receptor, whereas azetidinyl tryptamines bearing a terminal aryl moiety demonstrated remarkably high affinity.