Synthesis and Evaluation of Iodinated Benzamide Derivatives as Selective and Reversible Monoamine Oxidase B Inhibitors

Abstract

A new series of iodinated analogues of N-(2-aminoethyl)benzamide was synthesized and evaluated for inhibitory potency and specificity toward monoamine oxidase type-B (MAO-B). Among them, N(2-aminoethyl)-2-chloro-4-iodobenzamide hydrochloride (2d) showed high inhibitory potency and selectivity against MAO-B. The type of MAO-B inhibition by 2d was non-competitive and the inhibition constant (Aj) was 0.80 fiM. Strong and selective in vivo MAO-B inhibition by 2d was also confirmed. The brain MAO-B inhibition by 2d was reversible and the enzyme activity completely returned to the control value 24 h after administration. Compound 2d was, therefore, considered to be a candidate for advanced development as a radioiodinated ligand that may be useful for functional MAO-B studies in the living brain using single photon emission computer tomography. © 1992, The Pharmaceutical Society of Japan. All rights reserved.