An aromatic moiety is not essential for pharmacophore binding to sigma binding sites: Synthesis of N-alkylazacycloheptane derivatives as potent sigma ligands

Novel 3-(ω-(cycloalkyl)-alkyl-1,8,8-trimethyl-3-azabicyclo[3.2.1]octanes that had no aromatic rings were synthesized. Binding studies showed that these compounds were potent sigma ligands. Due to their simple structures without extra functional groups, they are suitable tools with which to identify pharmacophores capable of binding strongly to sigma binding sites.