Synthesis and evaluation of homodimeric GnRHR antagonists having a rigid bis-propargylated benzene core

The fact that GPCRs might function in a dimeric fashion is currently well accepted. For GnRHR, a GPCR that regulates gonadotropin release, there is evidence that the receptor also functions as a dimer. We here describe the design and synthesis of a set of dimeric GnRHR antagonists in order to understand the interaction of dimeric ligands to the receptor and to address the question whether GnRHR dimerization is a prerequisite for signalling. Biological evaluation of the compounds shows no discrimination between monomeric and dimeric-ligands in respect to binding affinities, however, the dimeric ligands appear to have different functional properties.