Profiling the structural determinants of aminoketone derivatives as hNET and hDAT reuptake inhibitors by field-based QSAR based on molecular docking

BACKGROUND: Bupropion, one of the dual norepinephrine and dopamine reuptake inhibitors (NDRIs), is an aminoketone derivative performed effect in improving cognitive function for depression. However, its therapeutic effect is unsatisfactory due to poor clinical response, and there are only few derivatives in pre-clinical settings. OBJECTIVE: This work attempted to elucidate the essential structural features for the activity and designed a series of novel derivatives with good inhibitive ability, pharmacokinetic and medicinal chemistry properties. METHODS: The field-based QSAR of aminoketone derivatives of two targets were established based on docking poses, and the essential structural properties for designing novel compounds were supplied by comparing contour maps. RESULTS: The selected two models performed good predictability and reliability with R [Formula: see text] of 0.8479 and 0.8040 for training set, Q [Formula: see text] of 0.7352 and 0.6266 for test set respectively, and the designed 29 novel derivatives performed no less than the highest active compound with good ADME/T pharmacokinetic properties and medicinal chemistry friendliness. CONCLUSIONS: Bulky groups in R [Formula: see text] , bulky groups with weak hydrophobicity in R [Formula: see text] , and potent hydrophobic substituted group with electronegative in R [Formula: see text] from contour maps provided important insights for assessing and designing 29 novel NDRIs, which were considered as candidates for cognitive dysfunction with depression or other related neurodegenerative disorders.