Synthesis of 2,4-disubstituted 6-methoxy-8-aminoquinoline analogues as potential antiparasitics

A series of 2,4-disubstituted 8-aminoquinoline analogues were synthesized and evaluated against Plasmodium berghei in mice and Leishmania donovani in hamsters. 8-[[6-(Diethylamino)hexyl]amino]-2-ethyl-6-methoxy-4-methylquinoline (8a) possessed significant activity against L. donovani. 2-Ethyl-4-methylprimaquine (7a) was evaluated against Plasmodium cynomolgi in rhesus monkey and found to have activity equal to that of primaquine.