Identification of 9-fluoro substituted (-)-cytisine derivatives as ligands with high affinity for nicotinic receptors.

(-)-9-Fluorocytisine, (-)-9-methylcytisine and (-)-9-trifluoromethylcytisine were synthesized from the natural product (-)-cytisine. 9-Methyl and 9-trifluoromethyl cytisines display a remarkable affinity at the α(4)β(2) nicotinic receptor subtype (0.2 nM) with a high selectivity versus the α(7) nAChR subtype. Comparison of the affinity values suggests that the size of the substituent at the 9 position of (-)-cytisine seems more important than electronic factors for efficient binding and selectivity at α(4)β(2) nAChRs.