Elliott Cohen

Structure-activity studies with chlorohydrins as orally active male antifertility agents

Some analogs of alpha-chlorohydrin were studied as an effort to improve the activity and to determine structure-activity relationships. The structural analogs were prepared and their activities in male rats were studied. Several were slightly active but only 1-amino-3-chloro-2-propanol hydrochloride was strongly active (effective dose-99 was 7-8 mg/kg/day; lethal dose-50 was 500 mg/kg). The rest were all derivatives whose activity could be rationalized by in vivo hydrolysis to give 1-amino-3-chloro-2-propanol or alpha-chlorohydrin. On resolving the amino compound an excellent separation of activity and acute toxicity was achieved. Details of these synthesis will published elsewhere.