Partition coefficients of three new anticonvulsants

The partition coefficients of three homologous anticonvulsant phenylalkylamides [racemic alpha-hydroxy-alpha-ethyl-alpha-phenylacetamide (HEPA); beta-hydroxy-beta-ethyl-beta-phenylpropionamide (HEPP); and gamma-hydroxy-gamma-ethyl-gamma-phenylbutyramide (HEPB)] were determined by reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC). The system was calibrated with a series of simple amines and amides, using their published log P values. The log kw values (methanol:water, extrapolated to 100% water) were 1.260 for HEPA, 1.670 for HEPP, and 1.852 for HEPB. From these results, the partition coefficients (log P) were calculated by regression as 1.20, 1.83, and 2.11, respectively. The log P values were essentially equal to those calculated by the Leo-Hansch fragmental method. Since the potency of the three anticonvulsants is approximately the same in a variety of tests, no dependence on lipophilicity could be established.