Studies in the heterocyclic series. XI. Reactions of 2-Amino-3-hydroxypyridine with 2-Chloro-3-nitropyridine

The reactions of 2-amino-3-hydroxypyridine and 2-chloro-3-nitropyridine in various solvents and in the presence of certain catalysts were studied. A dilute acid-catalysed procedure led to a 45% yield of 3-hydroxy-3-nitro-2,2-dipyridylamine which was also obtained by refluxing in alcoholic potassium hydroxide for several hours. The diarylamine was converted to 1,9-diazaphenoxazine by base-catalysed intramolecular condensation in refluxing DMSO. The same diazaphenoxazine was obtained directly by prolonged base-catalysed reaction of the starting pyridine compounds in DMSO. From a study of the infrared spectrum of the diarylamine precursor, it was found that strong NHO hydrogen bonding is responsible for the failure of the cyclization step in either aqueous or alcoholic base. This problem was overcome by the use of DMSO as the reaction solvent. Structural assignments were made by a study of their ultraviolet, infrared, nmr and mass spectra and the mechanistic pathways were also discussed.