Morphine diesters. I. Synthesis and action on guinea pig ileum

3,6-Dipropanoylmorphine (DPM), 3,6-dibutanoylmorphine (DBM), and 3,6-dihexanoylmorphine (DHM) were prepared as prospective long-acting narcotic analgesics. The purity and structure of these compounds were authenticated by high pressure liquid chromatography and direct probe mass spectrometry. In aqueous solution the stability of the HCI salts of these compounds decreased with increasing alkyl chain length such that DHM underwent rapid hydrolysis to 6-monohexanoylmorphine (MHM). A comparison of DPM, DBM, and MHM with morphine (MO) and 3,6-diacetylmorphine (DAM, heroin) in the electrically stimulated guinea pig ileum myenteric plexus longitudinal muscle strip preparation (GUPIL) revealed similar potencies and efficacies for all compounds, but marked differences in the onset of drug action (MO greater than DAM greater than MHM greater than DPM greater than DBM, faster to slower). In a periodically washed GUPIL preparation DBM and MHM were five times longer acting than MO, DAM or DPM.