(.+-.)-trans-2-(Aminomethyl)cyclobutanecarboxylic acid hydrochloride: a rigid analog of .gamma.-aminobutyric acid

Abstract
The (.+-.) title compound was prepared to evaluate prior observations that certain GABA congeners in the transoid disposition demonstrate GABA receptor binding activity. It was prepared by a multistep sequence from (.+-.)-methyl trans-2-(hydroxymethyl)cyclobutanecarboxylate. In a sodium-independent binding assay, the specific binding of (.+-.)-1 to synaptic membranes prepared from rat brain tissue was 1/14,500 that of GABA.