Indanes-Properties, Preparation, and Presence in Ligands for G Protein Coupled Receptors

• Published in: Medicinal research reviews 2015-11, Vol.35 (6), p.1097-1126
• Main Authors: Vilums, Maris, Heuberger, Jules, Heitman, Laura H., IJzerman, Adriaan P.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Drug Discovery; G protein coupled receptor; indane; Indans - chemical synthesis; Indans - chemistry; Ligands; privileged structure; Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled - chemistry; Saturn
• ISSN: 0198-6325; 1098-1128
• DOI: 10.1002/med.21352

The indane (2,3‐dihydro‐1H‐indene) ring system is an attractive scaffold for biologically active compounds due to the combination of aromatic and aliphatic properties fused together in one rigid system. This bicyclic structure provides a wide range of possibilities to incorporate specific substituents in different directionalities, thus being an attractive scaffold for medicinal chemists. Notably, many indane‐based compounds are being used in the clinic to treat various diseases, such as indinavir, an HIV‐1 protease inhibitor; indantadol, a potent Monoamine Oxidase (MAO)‐inhibitor; the amine uptake inhibitor indatraline; and the ultra‐long‐acting β‐adrenoceptor agonist indacaterol. Given the diversity of targets these drugs act on, one could argue that the indane ring system is a privileged substructure. In the present review, the synthetic and medicinal chemistry of the indane ring system is described. In more detail, it contains a comprehensive overview of compounds bearing the indane substructure with G protein coupled receptor (GPCR) activity, with particular emphasis on their structure–activity relationships (SAR).