6, 7, 8, 9-Tetrahydro-5H-pyrido [3, 4-d] azepine (5a) and its N7-methyl derivative 5b were synthesized and evaluated as potential nicotinic acetylcholinergic receptor (nAChR) ligands. On the basis that 6, 7, 8, 9-tetrahydro-5H-pyrido [3, 4-c] azepine (4a), which binds at nAChRs with low affinity (Ki= 1100 nM), possesses an internitrogen distance (4.6 Å) that may be less than optimal, we designed compound 5a due to its similar shape but longer ...