Synthesis of the dibenzopyrrocoline alkaloid skeleton: indolo[2,1-a]isoquinolines and related analogues

The indolo[2,1-a]isoquinoline and pyrrolo[2,1-a]isoquinoline nuclei have been synthesized from N-benzylindole or ethyl 1H-indol-1-ylacetate and N-benzylpyrrole precursors, respectively. Firstly, at C-2 of either the indole or pyrrole nucleus, aromatic rings containing a carbonyl substituent ortho to the newly formed biaryl axis were introduced using the Suzuki-Miyaura coupling reaction. Thereafter, under basic conditions the nucleophile that formed at the acidic methylene protons of the N-benzylindole, ethyl 1H-indol-1-ylacetate or N-benzylpyrrole intermediate reacted with the internal aromatic carbonyl to yield (after the expulsion of water) the title compounds. For example, exposure of ethyl 2-(2-(2-formylphenyl)-1H-indol-1-yl)acetate to potassium tert-butoxide resulted in the formation of ethyl indolo[2,1-a]isoquinoline-6-carboxylate.     

A concise synthesis of novel naphtho[a]carbazoles and benzo[c]carbazoles

Starting from simple indole precursors the synthesis of naphtho[a]carbazoles and benzo[c]carbazoles is described. Key steps include the use of the Suzuki-Miyaura reaction to afford 2- or 3-aryl substituted indoles, as well as a potassium t-butoxide and light assisted aromatic ring-forming reaction.     

One-pot two-step tandem reactions for selective synthesis of pyrrolo[2,1-a]isoquinolines and dihydro-, tetrahydro-derivatives

A sequential one-pot two-step tandem reaction for selective and efficient synthesis of pyrrolo[2,1-a]isoquinoline and its dihydro- and tetrahydro-derivatives has been developed. The tandem reactions of isoquinoline, α-halogenated methylene compounds, aromatic aldehydes, and cyanoacetamide firstly give tetrahydropyrrolo[2,1-a]isoquinolines as main products. The corresponding pyrrolo[2,1-a]isoquinolines and dihydropyrrolo[2,1-a]isoquinolines can be obtained directly by controlling oxidation with DDQ. The mechanism of this tandem reaction involved the 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition of isoquinolinium ylide as the key step. A unique elimination of the amido group preferring to the cyano group has been observed.     

Synthesis of pyrrolo[2,1-a]isoquinolines from activated acetylenes, benzoylnitromethanes, and isoquinoline

Isoquinoline reacts smoothly with aroylnitromethanes in the presence of dialkyl acetylenedicarboxylates and dibenzoylacetylene to produce pyrrolo[2,1-a]isoquinolines in good yields. Quinoline and benzothiazole also react in a similar way. Pyridine and N-methylimidazole catalyze the reaction between nitromethane derivatives with electron-deficient acetylenes to produce highly functionalized isoxazoles.     

Synthesis of dihydrobenzoimidazo[2,1-a]isoquinolines

A one-pot protocol toward several substituted 5,6-dihydrobenzo[4,5]imidazo[2,1-a]isoquinolines 1 starting with 2-allylbenzaldehydes 2 was described. The process was carried out the one-pot condensation/hydroamination reaction of substituted 2-allylbenzaldehydes 2 with 1,2-diaminobenzenes 3 in refluxing toluene in good yields. Skeleton 2 was prepared via one-pot ortho-metalative PhBCl₂-mediated double alkylation of hydroxybenzaldehyde 4 with LDA in moderate yields.     

A new approach towards the synthesis of pyrrolo[2,1-a]isoquinolines

Reaction of 5-bromo-2-methyl-8-nitro-1,2,3,4-tetrahydroisoquinoline with activated alkynes affords stable tetrahydropyrrolo[2,1-a]isoquinolin-4-ium ylides. Further reactions of ylide 2 gives access to substituted dihydropyrrolo[2,1-a]isoquinolines in good yields.     

One pot synthesis of imidazo[2,1-b]thiazoles and benzo[d]thiazolo[3,2-a]imidazoles

A series of imidazo[2,1-b]thiazole and benzo[d]thiazolo[3,2-a]imidazole analogues were synthesized by stirring an equimolar mixture of dibenzoylacetylene with imidazole/thiazole derivatives in toluene or acetonitrile at room temperature. The products were generated in good yields and characterized by standard analytical techniques such as IR, ¹H NMR, ¹³C NMR and mass spectrometry. The structure of products 19, 20, 22, 24 and 25 were also unambiguously confirmed by single crystal X-ray analysis.     

A facile method for the synthesis of steroidal and nonsteroidal 5-methyl pyrazolo[1,5-a]pyrimidines

The steroidal and nonsteroidal 5-methyl pyrazolo[1,5-a]pyrimidines were synthesized by the reaction of steroidal/nonsteroidal α,β-unsaturated ketones and 3-amino-1H-pyrazoles/5-amino-1H-pyrazoles in the presence of KO^tBu in ethanol under reflux condition.     

An efficient synthesis of [1,4]pyridazinooxazine[3,4-a]tetrahydro isoquinolines

A series of fused isoquinoline-pyridazinooxazine chimera were prepared in good overall yield from phenethylamide 1 and 4,5-dichloropyridazin-3-one 2 via Smiles rearrangement and Pictet-Spengler cyclization.     

A facile one-pot synthesis of 7-substituted pyrazolo[1,5-a]pyrimidines by base induced three-component reaction

The preparation of steroid/nonsteroid fused 7-substituted pyrazolo[1,5-a]pyrimidines is described by a one-pot reaction of steroidal/nonsteroidal ketones, aromatic aldehydes and 3-amino-1H-pyrazoles/5-amino-1H-pyrazoles in the presence of potassium tert-butoxide in good yield under reflux condition in ethanol.     

A one-pot conversion of ortho-alkynyl benzaldehydes into indolo[2,1-a]isoquinolines

The conversion of readily available 2-halobenzaldehydes into indolo[2,1-a]isoquinolines in two operations represents a very direct entry to this class of molecules.     

7,8,9,10-Tetrahydropyrrolo[2,1-a]isoquinolines in the search for new indolizine derivatives

7,8,9,10-Tetrahydropyrrolo[2,1-a]isoquinolines were obtained by 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition reactions of their corresponding N-ylides with olefinic (acrylonitrile) and symmetrical or non-symmetrical acetylenic dipolarophiles (methyl/ethyl propiolate, dimethyl acetylenedicarboxylate). Also, stable 5,6,7,8-tetrahydroisoquinolinium dicyanomethylide was isolated and characterized by X-ray diffraction analysis.     

1,5-Electrocyclisation of azomethine ylides leading to pyrrolo[2,1-a]isoquinolines—concise construction of the lamellarin skeleton

A new, general route to the 1,2-diaryl-substituted pyrrolo[2,1-a]isoquinolines has been developed via the 1,5-dipolar electrocyclisation reactions of azomethine ylides derived from readily available stilbenic acid derivatives. This method was applied to the concise construction of a lamellarin skeleton.     

Photochemical synthesis of benz[h]isoquinolines

The synthesis of benz[h]isoquinolines has been achieved using a highly convergent photochemical method. The approach presented provides ready access to biologically active compounds and building blocks not readily available through other methods.     

Novel route for the synthesis of structurally diverse pyrrolo[2,1-a]isoquinoline in aqueous micellar medium

A high yielding environmentally benign protocol has been developed for the synthesis of pyrrolo[2,1-a]isoquinoline using chromone-3-carboxaldehyde, isoquinoline and phenacyl bromide/bromoacetic acid ester as reagents in aqueous micellar medium. The method is operationally simple and more effective compared to the previous methods in terms of the yield of the products as well as the reaction time.     

Synthesis of substituted benzimidazo[2,1-a]isoquinolines and its condensed analogues using Pd(0)-catalyzed cyclization/C-H activation

An efficient route for the synthesis of benzimidazo[2,1-a]isoquinolines and its condensed analogues has been developed via the palladium-catalyzed cyclization/C-H activation of N-allyl and N-methallyl derivatives of benzimidazoles.     

A facile synthesis of pyrrolo[1,2-a]benzimidazoles and pyrazolo[3,4:4′,3′]pyrrolo[1,2-a]benzimidazole derivatives

Reaction of 2-cyanomethylbenzimidazole 1 with hydrazonoyl halides 2 led to formation of pyrrolo[1,2-a]benzimidazole derivatives 7. Similar reaction of 1 with halides 3 afforded 5-amino-4-(benzimidazol-2-yl)pyrazole derivatives 11 or 1-amino-2-arylpyrazolo[3,4:4′,3′]pyrrolo[1,2-a]benzimidazol-4-one 14 depending on the reaction conditions. The mechanisms of the studied reactions are discussed.     

An unusual synthesis of tetrahydrobenzo[f]isoquinolines

A facile and short synthesis of 2-oxo-4-sec-amino-2,3,5,6-tetrahydrobenzo[f]isoquinoline-1-carbonitriles has been delineated through base catalyzed ring transformation of 5,6-dihydro-2-oxo-4-sec-amino-2H-benzo[h]chromene-3-carbonitrile by cyanoacetamide in excellent yields.     

Metal-free synthesis of benzimidazo[2,1-a]ellipticines via tandem inter and intramolecular cyclization

Synthesis of the new benzimidazo[2,1-a]ellipticine derivatives via tandem inter and intramolecular, 5-endo,6-endo cyclization of various 9-ethyl-2-(alkynyl)carbazole-3-carbaldehydes with different 1,2-aryldiamines is reported under metal free condition in good yields.     

Diversity-oriented decoration of pyrrolo[1,2-a]pyrazines

Diversity-oriented synthesis of a chemical library based on a pyrrolo[1,2-a]pyrazine core is described by using palladium-catalyzed direct C6 arylation of pyrrolo[1,2-a]pyrazines with various aryl bromides. The starting materials, pyrrolo[1,2-a]pyrazines, were easily synthesized by the base-mediated N-alkylation of pyrrole-2-carboxaldehyde with several 2-bromoacetophenones followed by dehydrative cyclization with incorporation of nitrogen by the action of ammonium acetate. Introduction of other functional groups on this chemical scaffold is also discussed herein.