Novel opiates and antagonists. 5. 7-Carbethoxy-N-(cycloalkylmethyl)-3-hydroxymorphinan-6-ones and...

A direct conversion of deoxydihydrothebaine-phi (1) to 3-methoxymorphinan-6-one (3Ca) and its trans isomer 3Ta was achieved in excellent yield by the catalytic reduction of 1 in AcOH containing CF3COOH. Treatment of 3Ca or 3Ta with NaH and diethyl carbonate formed the corresponding 7-carbethoxy derivatives 4a which, on O-demethylation, furnished the 3-hydroxy compounds 4b. The analgesic N-methyl compounds 3 were converted to the 17-(cyclopropylmethyl) or 17-(cyclobutylmethyl) derivatives 6--8. Two of these compounds, one in the cis (7Ca) and the other in the trans (7Ta) series, showed mixed agonist/antagonist activity in the pentazocine range.