Dicarba analogues of the cyclic enkephalin peptides H-Tyr-c[D-Cys-Gly-Phe-D(or L)-Cys]NH2 retain high opioid activity

Dicarba analogues of the cyclic opioid peptides H-Tyr-c[D-Cys-Gly-Phe-D(or L)-Cys]NH2 were synthesized on solid phase by substituting allylglycines for the cysteines and cyclization by ring-closing metathesis between the side chains of the allylglycine residues. Mixtures of cis and trans isomers of the resulting olefinic peptides were obtained, and catalytic hydrogenation yielded the saturated -CH2-CH2- bridged peptides. The dicarba analogues retained high mu and delta agonist potencies. Remarkably, the trans isomer of H-Tyr-c[D-Allylgly-Gly-Phe-L-Allylgly]NH2 was a mu agonist/delta agonist with subnanomolar potency at both receptors.