Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Merck Research Laboratories, Rahway, NJ 07065-0900, USA. brenda_palucki@merck.com
Abstract:
We report the discovery and optimization of substituted 2-piperazinecarboxamides as potent and selective agonists of the melanocortin subtype-4 receptor. The 5- and 6-alkylated piperazine compounds exhibit low bioactivation potential as measured by covalent binding in microsome preparations.