An Alternative Synthesis of the Dopaminergic Drug 2‐Amino‐1,2,3,4‐tetrahydronaphthalene‐5,6‐diol (5,6‐ADTN)

Racemic 2‐amino‐1,2,3,4‐tetrahydronaphthalene‐5,6‐diol (5,6‐ADTN; 4 ) was synthesized from 5,6‐dimethoxynaphthalene‐2‐carboxylic acid ( 14 ) in four steps (60% overall yield; Scheme). The crucial steps of the synthesis are Birch reduction of 14 to the valuable synthon 15 , Curtius reaction and carbamate formation ( 16 ), hydrogenolysis ( 17 ), and demethylation to the biologically active hydrobromide salt 18 of 4 .