Dextromethorphan

Uses. In many cases cyanoacetic acid, cyanoacetates, or cyanoacetamide can be used alternatively. The traded cyanoacetic acid is mainly iatended for the synthesis of the cough remedy dextromethorphan [125-71-3] (31) (61) (see Expectorants, antitussives, and related agents) and of the fungicide cymoxanil [57966-95-7] (32) (62) (see Fungicides,agricultural). 

Nonnarcotic Antitussives. The most centrally active, noimarcotic antitussive is dextromethorphan [125-71-3] (39). It is similar to codeine in terms of potency and mechanism of action, ie, it is a direct depressant of the cough center. It is unique in that even though it is stmcturaHy related to codeine, it is not addictive. 

The synthesis of dextromethorphan is an outgrowth of early efforts to synthesize the morphine skeleton. /V-Methy1morphinan(40) was synthesized in 1946 (58,59). The 3-hydroxyl and the 3-methoxy analogues were prepared by the same method. Whereas the natural alkaloids of opium are optically active, ie, only one optical isomer can be isolated, synthetic routes to the morphine skeleton provide racemic mixtures, ie, both optical isomers, which can be separated, tested, and compared pharmacologically. In the case of 3-methoxy-/V-methylmorphinan, the levorotatory isomer levorphanol [77-07-6] (levorphan) was found to possess both analgesic and antitussive activity whereas the dextrorotatory isomer, dextromethorphan (39), possessed only antitussive activity. Dextromethorphan, unlike most narcotics, does not depress ciUary activity, secretion of respiratory tract fluid, or respiration. 

The Grewe synthesis of /V-methylmorphinan [3882-38-0] (40), which paved the way for the preparation of dextromethorphan and numerous analogues, follows standard reactions to 2-meth5l-l-benzyl-l,2,3,4,5,6,7,8-octahydroisoquinoline. Cyclization of this compound with phosphoric acid gave a mixture of isomers from which /V-methylmorphinan was separated. 

The synthesis (60) and potent antitussive activity (61) of dimemorfan [36309-01-0] (41), D-3-methyl-/V-methylmorphinan, have been reported. This compound, prepared by a modification of the Grewe process, differs from dextromethorphan only by having a methyl group, rather than a methoxy group, in the 3 position. 

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