Mono- and diaryl-2-quinuclidinylcarbinols with local anesthetic and antiarrhythmic activity

The reaction between 2-carboethoxyquinuclidine and various aryl- and heteroarylithium reagents gave mixtures of aryl 2-quinuclidinyl ketones and diaryl-2-quinuclidinylcarbinols. Diborane reduction of the ketones gave the erythro-carbinols, stereochemically analogous to quinidine. Several of the mono- and diarylcarbinols exhibited potent local anesthetic and antiarrhythmic activity, in some cases greater than that of quinidine. Diphenyl-2-quinuclidinylcarbinol and a (bromomethoxyphenyl)(methoxyphenyl)-2-quinuclidinylcarbinol were particularly active in reverting ouabain-induced arrhythmia in dogs, showing a potency and duration of action equal to or greater than that of propranolol.