Synthesis and binding affinity of novel mono- and bivalent morphinan ligands for κ, μ, and δ opioid receptors.

A novel series of homo- and heterodimeric ligands containing κ/μ agonist and μ agonist/antagonist pharmacophores joined by a 10-carbon ester linker chain were synthesized and evaluated for their in vitro binding affinity at κ, μ, and δ opioid receptors, and their functional activities were determined at κ and μ receptors in [(35)S]GTPγS functional assays. Most of these compounds had high binding affinity at μ and κ receptors (K(i) values less than 1nM). Compound 15b, which contains butorphan (1) at one end of linking chain and butorphanol (5) at the other end, was the most potent ligand in this series with binding affinity K(i) values of 0.089nM at the μ receptor and 0.073nM at the κ receptor. All of the morphinan-derived ligands were found to be partial κ and μ agonists; ATPM-derived ligands 12 and 11 were found to be full κ agonists and partial μ agonists.