Trialkylsily moieties as potential pharmacokinetic modifying groups for aminoalchohols

Water soluble derivatives of the aminoalcohols methylephedrine, ephedrine and norephedrine have been synthesized to contain various trialkyl silyl groups attached to the hydroxyl group of the aminoalcohol hydrochloride. Variation of the alkyl substituents on the silyl group produces a wide variety of derivatives possessing differing lipid solubilities and rates of hydrolysis to the parent aminoalcohol.