Simple access to pentacyclic oxazinoisoquinolines via an unexpected transformation of aminomethylnaphthols

Unexpected reactions between 1-α-aminobenzyl-2-naphthol, 1-aminomethyl-2-naphthol, N-benzyl-1-α-aminobenzyl-2-naphthol and 6,7-dimethoxy-3,4-dihydroisoquinoline to furnish naphth[1,2-e][1,3]oxazino[2,3-a]isoquinolines are reported. The reaction conditions involved classical heating at 80 °C in MeCN for 22 h (57-62%), or the use of microwave conditions (100 °C), which allowed a reduction of the reaction time to 90 min and resulted in somewhat higher yields (73-82%).