N-[(arylmethoxy)phenyl] carboxylic acids, hydroxamic acids, tetrazoles, and sulfonyl carboxamides. Potent orally active leukotriene D4 antagonists of novel structure.

Four series of N-[(arylmethoxy)phenyl] compounds were prepared as leukotriene D4 (LTD4) antagonists. In the hydroxamic acid series, methyl 3-(2-quinolinylmethoxy)benzeneacetohydroxamate (Wy-48,422, 20) was the most potent inhibitor of LTD4-induced bronchoconstriction with an oral ED50 of 7.9 mg/kg. Compound 20 also orally inhibited ovalbumin-induced bronchoconstriction in the guinea pig with an ED50 of 3.6 mg/kg. In vitro, against LTD4-induced contraction of isolated guinea pig trachea pretreated with indomethacin and 1-cysteine, 20 produced a pKB value of 6.08. In the sulfonyl carboxamide series, N-[(4-methylphenyl)sulfonyl]-3-(2-quinolinylmethoxy)-benzamide (Wy-49,353, 30) was the most potent antagonist. Compound 30 orally inhibited both LTD4- and ovalbumin-induced bronchoconstriction with ED50s of 0.4 and 20.2 mg/kg, respectively. In vitro, against LTD4-induced contraction of isolated guinea pig trachea, 30 produced a pKB value of 7.78. In the carboxylic acid series, which served as intermediates for the above two series, 3-(2-quinolinylmethoxy)benzeneacetic acid (Wy-46,016, 5) was the most potent inhibitor of LTD4-induced bronchoconstriction (99% at 25 mg/kg, intraduodenally); however, the pKB for this compound was disappointing (5.79). In the tetrazole series, the most potent inhibitor was 2-[[3-(1H-tetrazol-5-ylmethyl)phenoxy]methyl]quinoline (Wy-49,451, 41). The respective inhibitory ED50s were 3.0 mg/kg versus LTD4 and 17.5 mg/kg versus ovalbumin. In the isolated guinea pig trachea, 41 produced a pKB value of 6.70.