4-N-linked-heterocyclic piperidine derivatives with high affinity and selectivity for human dopamine D4 receptors

The syntheses of a number of different N-linked heterocyclic pyrazole replacements based on the structure 1 are described (compounds 3-12) as hD4 ligands. After further optimisation the best compound identified was 13 which has high affinity for hD4 (5.2 nM) and >300-fold selectivity for hD4 receptors over hD2 and hD3 receptors.