Acrylamide derivatives as antiallergic agents. 2. Synthesis and structure-activity relationships of N-[4-[4-(diphenylmethyl)-1-piperazinyl]butyl]-3-(3-pyridyl)acryl amides.

A new series of 3-(3-pyridyl)acrylamides 16, 17, 19, and 26, and 5-(3-pyridyl)-2,4-pentadienamides 20-25 were prepared and evaluated for their antiallergic activity. Several of these compounds exhibited more potent inhibitory activities than the parent compound 1a [(E)-N-[4-[4-(diphenylmethyl)-1-piperazinyl]butyl]-3- (3-pyridyl)acrylamide] against the rat passive cutaneous anaphylaxis (PCA) reaction and the enzyme 5-lipoxygenase. Particularly, (E)-N-[4-[4-(diphenylmethyl)-1-piperazinyl]butyl]-3- (6-methyl-3-pyridyl)acrylamide (17p) showed an ED50 value of 3.3 mg/kg po in the rat PCA test, which was one-fifth of ketotifen and oxatomide. As compared with ketotifen and oxatomide, compound 17p (AL-3264) possessed a better balance of antiallergic properties due to inhibition of chemical mediator release, inhibition of 5-lipoxygenase, and antagonism of histamine.