"New 4-aminoquinoline derivatives as antimalarials" .

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Background of the invention Malaria remains one of the most important diseases of the developing countries , killing 1-3 million people and causing disease in 300-500 million people annually . Most severe malaria is caused by the parasite Plasmodium falciparum. The two most widely used antimalarial drugs , chloroquine and sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine, are failing at an accelerating rate in most malaria endemic regions with consequent increases in malaria-related morbidity and mortality. The main reasons for this failure are related to the widespread resistance of the parasite to the common antimalarials and cross-resistance to structurally unrelated drugs .

To combat malaria new drugs are desperately needed and in particular drugs that can be effective on Plasmodium falciparum resistant strains . Ideally the new drugs for uncomplicated Plasmodium falciparum malaria should be efficacious against drug-resistant strains , provide cure within a reasonable time ( ideally three days or less ) for a good compliance, be safe also for children

and pregnant women, and above all be affordable at low cost (D. A. Fidock et al . Antimalarial drug discovery: efficacy models for compound screening, Nature Reviews 3 , 509-520 (2004 ) . Field of the invention

The present invention relates to new antimalarial compounds , in particular 4-aminoquinoline derivatives with quinolizidinyl and pyrrolizidinyl rings .

Description of the invention The new 4-aminoquinoline derivatives of the present invention are potent antimalarials active also on Plasmodium falciparum malaria strains resistant to chloroquine . The compounds of the present invention have the following general formula :

wherein

R= Cl , Br, trifluoromethyl ,

M= is 0 ( zero) ,or a complex of Au, Rh, Ru in presence of a ligand, the ligand being selected from PR' ₃ wherein R' is phenyl or C ₂ ~C ₄ -alkyl when M is gold; cyclooctadiene,

when M is rhodium; a second identical quinoline moiety

when M is ruthenium, where a group PF ₆ ^" or NO ₃ ^" may be present when M is gold, and a Cl ^" may be present when M is rhodium or ruthenium; X : is a single covalent bond,

Y : is a linear or branched alkylene such as (CH ₂ ) _n / where n = 0-10 and preferably 1-3 ; T :

or

when X, defined as above, is not a single covalent bond. Preferred compounds of the present invention are:

N- ( 7-chloro-quinolin-4-yl ) -2- ( tetrahydropyrrolizin-7a- yl ) -ethylamine

N- (7-chloro-quinolin-4-yl) - (tetrahydropyrrolizin-7a-yl-

methylainine

5- [ (7-chloro-quinolin-4-yl) amino] -2-{ [octahydro- quinolizin-1-ylmethyl) -amino] -methyl} -phenol

5- [ ( 7-chloro-quinolin-4-yl ) amino] -2- { [tetrahydro- pyrrolizin-7a-yl ) -ethylamino] -methyl} -phenol

and 5- [ (7-chloro-quinolin-4-γl) amino] -2- { [tetrahydro- pyrrolizin-7a-γl) -methylamino] -methyl} -phenol .

The compounds of the present invention were tested in vitro on chloroquine-sensitive and chloroquine-resistant strains of Plasmodium falciparum and IC ₅₀ values ranging from 5 to 40 nM were observed.

The compounds of the invention were tested also in vivo after intraperitoneal and oral administration and the efficacy was comparable or superior to that of chloroquine . Moreover the toxicity of the compounds towards mammalian cells (murine cells WEHI clone 13 ) is low, with IC ₅₀ >10000 nM.

Further obj ect of the present invention is the use of the compounds according to formula (I ) for all the indications that have been already described and/or suggested for chloroquine, including in a non-limitative way: prevention and/or treatment of inflammatory articular and non-articular diseases , cancer , prevention

and/or treatment of other major infective diseases , including as non-limitative examples : viral infections such as avian, seasonal and pandemic influenzae, severe acute respiratory syndrome ( SARS) or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) and bacterial infections such as tuberculosis , etc, alone or in combination with at least a proper therapeutic agents/tools .

Pharmaceutical acceptable salts , such as for example salts with inorganic and organic acids , aminoacids , are also part of the present invention. Preferred acids are hydrochloric , phosphoric , sulfuric, tartaric, citric and fumaric acid.

Depending on the specific condition or disease state to be treated, subj ects may be administered compounds of the present invention at any suitable therapeutically effective and safe dosage, as may be readily determined within the skill of the art . For example, compounds of the present invention may be administered at a daily dosage between about 1 and 60 mg/kg, and more preferably between about 3 and 30 mg/kg. The compounds of the present invention can be administered in the form of any pharmaceutical formulation, the nature of which will depend upon the route of administration selected. These

pharmaceutical compositions can be prepared by

conventional methods , using compatible, pharmaceutically

acceptable excipients or vehicles . Examples of such compositions include capsules , tablets , syrups , powders and granulates for the preparation of extemporaneous solutions , inj ectable preparations , rectal , nasal , ocular, vaginal etc . A preferred route of administration is the oral route . The following non-limitative examples further describe and enable an ordinary skilled in the art to make and use the invention . EXAMPLE 1. Synthesis of N- (7-chloro-φiinolin-4-yl) -2- (tetrahydropyrrolizin-7a-yl) -ethylamine.

A mixture of 299 mg (1.94 iranol ) of 5- (2-aminoethyl ) - l-azabiciyclo [3.3.0] octane (prepared according to T . Suzuki et al . , Chem. Pharm . Bull . 1997 , 45 , 1218 ) , 384 mg ( 1.94 mmol ) of 4 , 7-dichloroquinoline and 1.21 g ( 13.58 mmol ) of phenol , was heated for 4 hrs at 180 ⁰ C, stirring under nitrogen atmosphere . After cooling, 2N NaOH was added to the mixture until a basic pH was reached and the product was extracted with ether . After crystallization by ether, the product had a melting point of 123.6-125.3

⁰ C .

EXLAMPLE 2. Synthesis of N- (7-chloro-φiinolin-4-yl) - (tetrahydropyrrolizin-7a-yl) -methylamine .

A mixture of 487 mg ( 3 , 46 mmol ) of 5-aminomethyl-l-

azabicyclo [3.3.0. ] octane (prepared in according to T . Suzuki et al . , Chem. Pharm. Bull . 1997 , 45 , 1218 ) , 686 mg (3.46 iϊimol) of 4 , 7-dichloroquinoline and 2.28 g (24.26 mmol ) of phenol , was heated for 4 hrs at 180 ⁰ C , stirring under nitrogen atmosphere . After cooling, 2N NaOH was added to the mixture until a basic pH was reached and the product was extracted with ether . After crystallization by ethyl ether/petrol ether 7/3 , the product had a melting point of 109.8-111.2 ⁰ C . EXAMPLE 3. Synthesis of 5- [ (7-chloro-quinolin-4- yl) amino] -2- { [octahydroquinolizin-1-ylmethyl) -amino-] - methyl} -phenol .

0.35 ml of aqueous formaldehyde were added to a solution of 780 mg ( 4.64 mmol ) of aminolupinane (prepared from lupinine according to F . Sparatore et al . Farmaco, Ed. Sci . 1969 , 24 , 587 ) and 720 mg ( 4.64 mmol ) of 3 - acetamidophenol in 3.5 ml of ethanol . The mixture was heated under reflux for 24 hours , stirring under nitrogen . After cooling, the solvent was removed under reduced pressure and the crude material was purified by flash chromatography on silica gel column using dichloromethane/methanol 92 /8 as eluent . The obtained product , N- (3-hydroxy-4- { [octahydroquinolizin-1-yl- methyl ) -amino] -methyl} -phenyl ) -acetamide, was washed with

ethyl ether .

N- (3-hydroxy-4- { [octahydroquinolizin-1-yl-methyl) -

amino] -methyl} -phenyl ) -acetamide (380 mg, 0.93 mmol) was dissolved in 3 ml of 20% HCl and the solution was heated under reflux, under nitrogen for 8 hours . After evaporation under reduced pressure, the residue was dissolved in 3 ml of ethanol and 4 , 7-dichloroquinoline (184 mg, 0.93 mmol ) was added to the solution, and the mixture was heated under reflux for 16 hours . After evaporation of the solvent, the residue was purified by flash chromatography on silica gel column eluting with dichloromethane/methanol gradient . To liberate the free base compound, the eluted product was dissolved in water and the solution basified by addition of saturated NaHCO ₃ (added until no more precipitate was formed) and then extracted with dichloromethane . The organic phase was dried on anhydrous sodium sulphate and evaporated. The residue, washed with ether, had a melting point 134-135

⁰ C . EXAMPLE 4. 5- [ (7-chloro-<juinolin-4-yl)amino] -2-

{ [tetrahydropyrrolizin-7a-yl) -ethylamino] -methyl} - phenol .

Aqueous formaldehyde ( 0.32 ml ) was added to a solution of 5- (2-aminoethyl ) -1-azabicyclo [3.3.0 ] octane

(752 mg, 4.87 rranol ) and 3-acetamidophenol (736 mg, 4.87 irnnol) in 3.7 ml of ethanol . The mixture was heated under reflux for 24 hours , stirring under nitrogen. After cooling, the solvent was removed under reduced pressure and the crude material was purified by flash chromatography on silica gel column using dichloromethane/methanol/ cone . NH ₃ , ( 10/3 /0.1 ) as eluent . The obtained product , N- (3-hydroxy-4- { [2- (tetrahydro- pyrrolizin-7a-yl ) -ethyl-amino] -methyl} -phenyl ) -acetamide, washed with a mixture of ether and dichloromethane 1/1 , was used as such for the following reaction . N- (3-hydroxy-4- { [2- ( tetrahydro-pyrrolizine-7a-yl ) - ethylamino] -methyl } -phenyl) -acetamide (175 mg, 0.55 mmol ) was dissolved in 3 ml of 20% HCl and the solution was heated under reflux, under nitrogen for 8 hours . After evaporation under reduced pressure, the residue was dissolved in 3 ml of ethanol and 4 , 7-dichloroquinoline (109 mg, 0.55 mmol) was added to the solution, and the mixture was heated under reflux for 18 hours . After evaporation of the solvent the residue was purified by flash chromatography on silica gel column eluting with

dichloromethane/methanol gradient . To liberate the free base compound, the eluted product was dissolved in water

and the solution basified by addition of NH ₃ until pH 8-9

and then extracted with dichloromethane . The organic phase was dried on anhydrous sodium sulphate and evaporated. The residue, washed with ether, was dissolved in abs . EtOH and added with an excess (3 ml) of a 1 M HCl ethanolic solution . After evaporation of the solvent , the residue was washed with a mixture of ether/EtOH 7.5 : 2.5 and had m.p . 247-251°C .

EXAMPLE 5. 5- [ (7-chloro-quinolin-4-yl) amino] -2- { [tetrahydropyrrolizin-7a-yl) -methylamino] -methyl} - phenol .

Aqueous formaldehyde ( 0.32 ml) was added to a solution of 5- (2-aminomethyl ) -1-azabicyclo [3.3.0 ] octane ( 4.87 mmol ) and 3-acetamidophenol (4.87 mmol ) in 3.7 ml of ethanol . The mixture is heated under reflux for 24 hours , stirring under nitrogen. After cooling the solvent was removed under reduced pressure and the crude material was purified by silica gel flash column chromatography using dichloromethane/methanol/ cone . NH ₃ , ( 10/3 / 0.1 ) as eluent . The obtained product, N- (3-hydroxy-4- { [2- (tetrahydro-pyrrolizin-7a-yl) -methylamino] -methyl} - phenyl ) -acetamide, washed with a mixture of ether and dichloromethane 1/1 , was used as such for the following reaction.

N- (3-hydroxy-4- { [2- ( tetrahydro-pyrrolizine-7a-yl ) -

methylamino] -methyl} -phenyl) -acetamide ( 0.55 mmol) is dissolved in 3 ml of 20% HCl and the solution was heated under reflux, under nitrogen for 8 hours . After evaporation under reduced pressure, the residue was dissolved in 3 ml of ethanol and 4 , 7-dichloroquinoline (109 mg, 0.55 mmol) was added to the solution, and the mixture was heated under reflux for 8 hours . After evaporation of the solvent the residue was dissolved in water and the solution basified by addition of NH ₃ until pH 8-9 and then extracted with dichloromethane . The organic phase was dried on anhydrous sodium sulphate and evaporated. The residue, after purification by flash column chromatography on silica gel eluting with dichloromethane/methanol gradient , had m.p . 109-120 ⁰ C . Example 6. Gold complex of compound of example 2

200 mg ( 0.4 mmol) of triphenylphosphine gold chloride dissolved under reflux in 20 ml of acetonitrile were added with 148.8 mg ( 0.8 mmol ) of potassium hexafluorophosphate (KPF ₆ ) , heating for 30 minutes . 247.5 mg ( 0.82 mmol ) of N- (7-chloroquinolin-4-yl ) - ( tetrahydro- pyrrolizin-7a-yl ) methylamine were added, the mixture was refluxed under nitrogen for 48 hours and after cooling the resulting precipitate was filtered. The filtrate was

concentrated, added with few drops of ethyl ether and

stored in the refrigerator . The separated solid was

filtered and washed with anhydrous ether/acetonitrile (1 : 3 ) . The solution was concentrated again, treated with ether and stored in the refrigerator . This procedure was repeated several times , each one filtering off the precipitate . Finally the solution was evaporated to dryness and the residue iwas washed with ether and dried. EXAMPLE 7. Biological data

The compounds of the present invention have been tested in vitro and found to be potent on chloroquine- sensitive (CQ-S) Plasmodium falciparum strain DlO and on chloroquine-resistant (CQ-R) Plasmodium falciparum strain W2. The results are reported in the following table .

n=4 + SD