The present invention relates to sulfone derivatives of formula (I):
Ar—SO
2
—CR
2
R
3
-L-N(R
1
)
2
I
wherein Ar, L, R
1
, R
2
and R
3
are as defined herein, and pharmaceutically acceptable salts and N-oxides thereof, useful in the treatment of a condition which is susceptible to treatment by modulation of 5-HT
7
receptor activity, such as depression or a sleep disorder.
Novel polyprenyl compounds have the general formula: ##STR1## represents a cis-isoprene unit, n is an integer of 11-19, Z.sup.1 is --CH.sub.2 OH or a functional precursor thereof, and either one of R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 is a hydrogen atom and the other is --S(O).sub.m R.sup.3 in which m is an integer of 0 (zero), 1 or 2 and R.sup.3 is a phenyl, naphthyl, pyridyl or thiazolinyl group or such group substituted with at least one lower alkyl and/or halogen substituent. The topic novel polyprenyl compounds can be synthesized from derivatives of the polyprenol which is obtainable from leaves of Ginkgo biloba or Cedrus deodara, among others, by extraction, if necessary followed by hydrolytic treatment. The novel polyprenyl compounds can be converted to mammalian dolichols or precursors thereof by reductive elimination of the --S(O).sub.m R.sup.3 group.
The invention relates to polyprenyl compounds of the general formula
wherein
represents a trans-isoprene unit,
represents a cis-isoprene unit, n is an integer of 11-19, Z' is -CH20H or a functional precursor thereof, and either one of R' and R2 is a hydrogen atom and the other is -S(O)mR3 in which m is an integer of 0 (zero), 1 or 2 and R3 is a phenyl, naphthyl, pyridyl or thiazolinyl group which may optionally have one or more substituents selected from lower alkyl groups and halogen atoms. These polyprenyl compounds can be synthesized by reacting a compound of the general formula
with a compound of the general formula
with the aid of an anionizing agent.
(either one of A and X being a halogen atom and the other being -S(O)mR3)
These polyprenyl compounds can be converted into mammalian dolichols or precursors thereof by reductive elimination of the -S(O)mR3 group.