The central importance of the nitrogen of an opiate in binding to its receptor is well established in the literature. A fundamental question remains as to the proton-dynamics involved between this opiate nitrogen and its receptor during productive binding. This proposal will continue our examination of an NMR technique, Insensitive Nucleus Enhanced by Polarization Transfer (INEPT), for its potential in establishing these crucial proton-dynamics. This will be accomplished through an INEPT analysis during the binding an 15N-labeled agonist, levorphanol, with a well established opiate receptor model, cereboside sulfate. This objective will move our research from its current successful examination of simple models, to a point where positive results will pioneer the way for similar experiments with actual receptor sub-types. Our synthon approach to the synthesis of labeled levorphanol involves a potenially steroselective, intramolecular hydroboration which, if successful, may lead to a new general method for the stereoselective syntheses of benzomorphan rings.
