3-(1,2,5,6-Tetrahydropyrid-4-yl)pyrrolo[3,2-b]pyrid-5-one: a potent and selective serotonin (5-HT1B) agonist and rotationally restricted phenolic analogue of 5-methoxy-3-(1,2,5,6-tetrahydropyrid-4-yl)indole.

The synthesis and in vitro and in vivo characteristics of 3-(1,2,5,6-tetrahydropyrid-4-yl)pyrrolo[3,2-b]pyrid-5-one (1, CP-93,129) are described. This rotationally restricted phenolic analogue of RU-24,969 is a potent (15 nM) and selective (200x vs the 5-HT1A receptor, 150x vs the 5HT1D receptor) functional agonist for the 5-HT1B receptor. Direct infusion of 1 into the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus of rats significantly inhibits food intake, implicating the role of 5-HT1B receptors in regulating feeding behavior in rodents. 3-(1,2,5,6-Tetrahydropyrid-4-yl)pyrrolo[3,2-b]pyrid-5-one (1) has also been shown to be biochemically discriminatory in its ability to selectively inhibit forskolin-stimulated adenylate cyclase activity only at the 5-HT1B receptor. The source of the selectivity of 1 appears to lie in the ability of a pyrrolo[3,2-b]pyrid-5-one to act as a rotationally restricted bioisosteric replacement for 5-hydroxyindole.