Reactions of some quinazoline compounds with ethoxymethylenemalonic acid derivatives

The reactions of ethyl (1,4-dihydro-4-oxoquinazolin-2-yl)acetate 4 and 2-aminoquinazolin-4(1H)-one 5 with diethyl ethoxymethylenemalonate (EMME), (ethoxymethylene)malononitrile (EMMN) and ethyl (ethoxymethylene)cyanoacetate (EMCA) are reported, and rather different results are obtained to those previously found with quinoline analogs. Reaction of 4 with EMME gives a pyrido1,2-a]quinazoline, while with EMMN and EMCA ethyl 2-(pyridin-2-yl)aminobenzoates are formed, presumably by ring-opening of intermediate pyrido2,1-b]quinazolines. Reaction of 5 with EMME likewise results in ultimate cyclization onto N-1 of the quinazoline, while the EMMN and EMCA reactions give isolable pyrimido2,1-b]quinazolines. These are readily cleaved under mild conditions.