Structure‐Based Virtual Screening for Dopamine D2 Receptor Ligands as Potential Antipsychotics

Structure‐based virtual screening using a D2 receptor homology model was performed to identify dopamine D2 receptor ligands as potential antipsychotics. From screening a library of 6.5 million compounds, 21 were selected and were subjected to experimental validation. From these 21 compounds tested, ten D2 ligands were identified (47.6 % success rate, among them D2 receptor antagonists, as expected) that have additional affinity for other receptors tested, in particular 5‐HT2A receptors. The affinity (Ki values) of the compounds ranged from 58 nm to about 24 μm. Similarity and fragment analysis indicated a significant degree of structural novelty among the identified compounds. We found one D2 receptor antagonist that did not have a protonatable nitrogen atom, which is a key structural element of the classical D2 pharmacophore model necessary for interaction with the conserved Asp(3.32) residue. This compound exhibited greater than 20‐fold binding selectivity for the D2 receptor over the D3 receptor. We provide additional evidence that the amide hydrogen atom of this compound forms a hydrogen bond with Asp(3.32), as determined by tests of its derivatives that cannot maintain this interaction.