Synthesis of benzocycloalkane derivatives as new conformationally restricted ligands for melatonin receptors

Benzocycloalkane derivatives 1–4 were synthesized as new conformationally restricted melatoninergic ligands. They were prepared by the reaction of the ketones 5 with diethylcyanophosphonate and the reduction of the corresponding cyano compounds or by the Wittig reaction and Curtius degradation to obtain the amines 8. The 1-Cyanobenzocyclobutane derivative was obtained by the benzyne cyclisation reaction. The amines 8 were acylated with acetyl, propionyl or butyryl groups. The affinity of the compounds for chicken brain melatonin receptors was evaluated using 2-[125I]-iodomelatonin as the radioligand. The indanyl (2b,c), tetralin (3a-c) and benzocycloheptane (4c) derivatives were potent compounds with nanomolar affinity and an important enantioselectivity of the receptor was observed with the (+) enantiomers 2b and 3b.