An investigation of the N-demethylation of 3-deoxymorphine and the affinity of the alkylation products to mu, delta, and kappa receptors.

The N-demethylation of 3-deoxymorphine (1) was investigated using methyl chloroformate and hydrazine. 3-Deoxynormorphine (2) was obtained in 70% yield, and 3-deoxydihydronormorphine (3) was also obtained as a side product. The mu, delta, and kappa receptor binding affinity of a series of N-substituted 3-deoxynormorphines 6 and 7 and N-substituted 3-deoxydihydronormorphines 8-11 was also determined.