A New Synthesis, Resolution and in vitro Activities of (R)- and (S)-β-Phenyl-GABA.

Abstract β-Phenyl-GABA (2) was resolved by separation by crystallization and/or h.p.l.c. of the diastereoisomeric (R)-(-)-pantolactone esters of the N-phthalimido protected β-phenyl-GABA. The absolute stereochemical assignments obtained from chiroptical studies of the enantiomers(8a) and(8b) and an X-ray crystallographic study of the diastereoisomer(7a) were supported by the activities of the enantiomers(8a) and(8b) in binding and electrophysiological studies. Details of synthesis, binding, electrophysiological, chiroptical and X-ray crystallographic studies are reported.