Novel NR2B antagonists with an amide tether were found by an approach to avoid pharmacophoric similarity to dofetilide. Structure–activity relationship investigation led to N- [cis-4-hydroxy-4-(5-hydroxypyridin-2-yl) cyclohexyl]-3-henylpropanamide 14e as an orally active NR2B-subtype selective N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) receptor antagonist with very weak HERG (human ether-a-go-go related gene) binding (IC50> 30μM). This compound ...