Field of the invention

The present invention relates to stereoisomers of the com¬ pound 4- {3- -ethyl ~ ~(propylsulfinyl)propyl ^r aminQj ^r -2- hydroxypropoxχ7-benzonitrile, its preparation and use.

Background of the invention

Our prior patent application PCT/SE88/00691, filed on December 20, 1988 and published after the filing date of this application, relates to a group of novel compounds which are useful in the treatment, acute as well as long term, of cardiac arrhythmias of diverse etiology. Among the compounds included in the group of compounds disclosed in said application is the compound 4- 3- ethyl I >- (pro¬ pylsulfinyl) prσpyl_ amin -2-hydroxypropox^7-benzonitrile having the formula I

which can be obtained as a stereoisomeric mixture as well as in the form of the different isomers; the following two stereoisomers are mentioned in the said aDDlication:

4-_/ ^r _}- ethyl/ - (propylsulfinyl) prσpyi.7a_mino7-2 (R) -hydroxy- propoxy -benzσnitrile,

4 ~l3- ethyl ^" 3- (propylsulfinyl) prσpy_L?aminq/-2 (S) -hydroxy- propoxvj-benzσnitrile.

The invention

The compound of the formula I having two chiral centra (*)

It has now been found that the stereoisomers of the com¬ pound of formula I above i.e.

4-/ ^" 3-/~ethyl/ ^" 3- ( (R*)-propylsulfinyl)propyl/aminαy-2 (R)- hydroxypropoxyj-benzonitrile,

4-/~3-Zethyl/l-( (S*)-propylsulfinyl)propy_L7aminq7-2 (R ⁾ - h ydroxypropoxγ7~benzoπitrile,

4- 3-/ethyl 3-( (R*) -propylsulfinyl)propyl/amino7-2 (S)- hydroxypropσxy_7 ^" -benzonitrile

4- 3- ethy1 3-{ (S*)-propylsulfinyl)propylJamino -2(S)- hydrσxypropσxy -benzonitrile,

and pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof,

are valuable new products useful for treatment, acute as well as long term, of cardiac arrhythmias of diverse etiology.

An object is to provide antiarrhythmics which have less prominent side effects than existing antiarrhythmic drugs. The compounds should for instance be free of negative inotrcpic effect and the compounds may even be positively motropic. The compounds should further separate the anti¬ arrhythmic effect from central nervous and gastrointesti¬ nal effects.

The stereoisomers of this invention may be used thera- peutically in the stereochemical pure forms.

The present invention also relates to processes for the preparation of said isomers according to the present in¬ vention.

A. The compounds of the formul5

c of the formula

with a compound of the formula

0 i 2 _5 III

HN - [ ^CH 2] s — C,H__,

3 i

The reaction is typically carried out in a suitable sol¬ vent such as isopropanol or N,N-dimethylformamide. The mixture should be heated to a temperature in the range 40 - 100°C until the reaction is completed. Thereafter the product can be isolated by conventional methods; or

B. A compound of the formula

can be prepared by reacting a compound of the formula

CN where M is methyl or a 4-methyl-phenyl residue, with a compound of the formula

C__,H _e I

ΪP-N ² -— ⁵ if/-C_ ^~ H_--_,)J . — ISI.— C ₃ H ₇

The reaction is typically carried out in a suitable orga¬ nic solvent such as acetonitrile or N,N-dimethylformamide. A suitable organic or inorganic base such as triethyl- amine or potassium carbonate is added to the mixture. The mixture is then heated to a temperature in the range of 90 - 100 C until the reaction is completed after which the products can be isolated and purified by conventional methods.

The invention further relates to a method of preventing or reducing cardiac arrhythmias in mammals, including man, which comprises administering to a host in need of such treatment an effective amount of said stereoisσmer of

the compound of the formula I or pharmaceutically accept¬ able salts thereof.

The invention yet further relates to said stereoisomers of the compound of the formula I or pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof for use as a medicament, par¬ ticularly as an antiarrhythmic agent.

The invention also relates to the use of the stereoiso- mers of the compound of the formula I for the manufacture of medicaments with action against cardiac arrhythmias.

The following non-limiting examples further illustrate the invention.

EXAMPLE 1

4-/3-/ethyl/ ^' 3- ( (S*) -propylsulfinyl) propy] aminQ7-2(R) hydroxypropoxy -benzonitrile

a) Ethyl (3- (S*) -propylsulfinyl)propylamine

A hot solution of 27.2 g (0.1 mol) of (-) -1, 3, 2-dioxaphos- phorinane-5, 5-dimethyl-2-hydroxy-4- (2-methoxyphenyl) -2- oxide and 17.73 g (0.1 moi) of racemic ethyl (3-propyl- sulfinyl) -propylamine in 750 ml of acetone and 32.5 ml of methanol was allowed to cool to room temperature, yielding 23.9 g of crystalline material. The experiment was repeated on a 0.25 mol scale, this time yielding 53.0 g of crystals. The comoined crops were recrystall- ized five times from acetone-methanol, finally yielding 8.95 g of salt.

A solution of 15.06 g (0.0392 mol) of trioctylamine m dichlorσmethane was shaken with 19.6 ml of 2M hydrochlo¬ ric acid. The phases were separated and the organic layer

was washed with water. The organic phase, now containing trioctylammonium chloride, was stirred for 90 min. with a solution of 8.8 g (0.0196 mol) of the above mentioned resolved salt in water. The phases were separated, and the organic layer was washed with water. The combined aqueous phases were washed with dichloromethane, and then brought to pH 11.5 with 10 M sodium hydroxide. Extrac¬ tion four times with dichloromethane yielded 2.3 g of laevorotatory amine base, arbitrarily denoted S* ^ ^ _Q ⁰ - ⁸ -°° < ^c = ■• ^■ CH ₃ OH ⁾ .

C NMR ( as salt with (-)-1.3.2-dioxaphosphorinane-5,5- dimethyl-2-hydroxy-4-(2-methoxyphenyl)-2-oxide) ; in CDCI3: 10.80, 12.95, 15.81, 17.55, 19.49, 19.58, 20.41, 36.59, 36.61, 42.37, 45.50, 48.73, 53.67, 54.71, 76.79, 76.83, 77.34, 109.63, 119.69, 126.42, 126.50, 128.33, 128.93, 155.83. b) (R) -4-(oxir n lmethoxy)-benzonitrile

A solution of 2,71 g of (2S) -1-(4-cyanσphenoxy)-3-methane- sulfonyloxypropan-2-ol in 40 ml of 1,2-dimethoxyethane was stirred with 1.0 g of powdered sodium hydroxide at room temperature for 22 h. 10 ml of saturated sodium chloride solution was added, and the mixture was extracted twice with ether. Washing with 5 % sodium hydrogen carbo¬ nate, drying over magnesium sulfate, filtration and eva¬ poration gave 1.76 g of crystalline material, m.p. 67.5 C, £- ^~ J ^Q -14.7° (c ^* = 1, acetone)

NMR: ¹³ C in CDC1,; 44.40, 49.71, 69.02, 104.59, 115.34, 113.95, 133.98, 161.66 ppm.

c) 4-/ ^" 3-/ethyl£. ^" 3-{ (S*)-propylsulfinyl)propyl/amin /-2 (R) - hvdroxv roDOXv ^' "-benzonitrile

_A mixture of 3 g of ethyl (3-(S*)-propylsulfinyl)propyl-

amine and 3.18 g of (R) -4- (oxiranylmethoxy) -benzonitrile was refluxed for 16 h in 25 ml of isopropyl alcohol. After evaporation of the solvent, the crude product was dis¬ solved in 2 M hydrochloric acid, washed with ether, the solution brought to pH 11.5 with 2 M sodium hydroxide and extracted with dichloromethane. Evaporation of the organic phase gave 6.11 g of an oil.

¹³ C NMR in CDC1 ₃ _ 11.23, 13.17, 16.08, 20.46, 47.41, 49.98, 52.41, 54.46, 56.11, 66.05, 70.50, 103.80, 115.13, 118.92, 133.69, 161.92 ppm.

EXAMPLE 2

4-/~3-/ethyl 3-( (R*)-propylsulfinyl)propyl/amino7-2 (S)-hydro propoxy_7-benzonitrile

a) Ethyl(3-(R*) -propylsulfinyl)propylamine

Resolution of racemic ethyl (3-propylsulfinyl)propylamine wit (+)-1,3,2-dioxaphosphorinane-5,5-dimethyl-2-hydrσxy-4- (2- ethoxyphenyl)-2-oxide in analogy with example la gave dex- trorotatory amine base. This compound, arbitrarily denoted R*, has the following data: CH ₃ OH)

•

13 C, NMR (as salt with (+)-1,3,2-dioxaphosphorinane-5,5-di- methyl-2-hydroxy-4- (2-methoxyphenyl) -2-oxide) ; in CDC1-.: 10.92, 13.07, 15.93, 17.66, 19.56, 19.70, 20.52, 36.72, 36.73, 42.48, 45.61, 48.85, 53.79, 54.82, 76.92, 76.96, 77.45, 77.49, 109.73, 119.81, 126.54, 126.62, 128.44, 129.06 155.95.

b) (S)-4- (oxiranylmethoxy)-benzonitrile

From 2.7 g (2R)-1- (4-cyanophenoxy)-3-methanesulfonyl- oxypropan-2-ol in analogy with example lb was obtained 1.75 g crystalline material; m.p. 68.0°C f~*J - +14.5° ^" (c=l, acetone)

¹³ C NMR in CDC1 ₃ : 44.21, 49.58, 68.90, 104.25, 115.20, 118.86, 133.80, 161.53.

c) 4-_/3-/ethyl 3-( (R*)-propylsulfinyl)propyl/amin /- 2(S)-hydroxypropoxyj-benzonitrile

A mixture of 2.3 g of e hyl(3-(R*)-propylsulfinyl)propyl¬ amine and 3.18 g of (S)-4-(oxiranylmethoxy)-benzonitrile in 19 ml of isopropyl alcohol was refluxed 16 h and there- after worked up in analogy with lc yielding 4.1 g of an oil; &fJv° ⁺ 26.5° (c=l, CH ₃ OH)

¹³ C NMR in CDC1 ₃ : 11.16, 13.05, 15.96, 20.37, 47.38, 49.87, 52.37, 54.31, 56.05, 66.10, 70.47, 103.65, 115.06, 118.78, 133.55, 161.86.

EXAMPLE 3

4-/~3-/ethyl/3-{ (R*)-propylsulfinyl)propyl7aminq/-2(R)- hydroxypxopoxy^-benzonitrile

A mixture of 2.3 g of ethyl/ (R*)-3-propylsulfinyl/propyl- amine and 2.5 g of (R)-4-(oxiranylmethoxy)-benzonitrile was refluxed for 16 h in 19 ml of isopropyl alcohol in analogy with example lc. Traditional work up procedures gave 4.27 g of an oil; - 13.4° (c=l, CH ₃ 0H)

¹³ C NMR in CDC1 ₃ : 11.58, 13.36, 16.29, 20.57, 47.70, 49.96, 52.41, 54.64, 56.36, 66.24, 70.63, 104.18, 115.33, 119.07, 133.91, 162.09.

EXAMPLE 4

4- 3- ethyl 3-( (S*)-propylsulfinyl)propyl7 mino7-2(S)- hydroxypr poxi/-benzonitrile

A mixture of 2.3 g of ethyl 3-(S*)-propylsulfinyl/propyl¬ amine and 2.5 g of (S)-4-(oxiranylmethoxy)-benzonitrile in 19 ml of isopropyl alcohol was refluxed for 24 h in analogy with example lc. Traditional work up procedures gave 3.65 g of an oil; ~ ^° + 11.1° (c=l, CH ₃ 0H)

¹³ C NMR in CDC1 ₃ : 11.56, 13.33, 16.25, 20.54, 47.71, 49.92, 52.42, 54.53, 56.31, 66.33, 70.64, 104.03, 115.33, 119.06, 133.86, 162.11.