Cycloaddition reactions of ketoimines. Part II. Synthesis of substituted phenanthridines and cyclopenta[c]quinolines

Substituted 4-benzoyl-3a,4,5,9b-tetrahydro-3H-cyclopentac]quinolines 3 and 6-benzoyl-5,6,6a,7,8,10a-hexahydrophenanthridines 10 are obtained through Lewis acid catalyzed addition of 1-phenyl-2-arylamino-2-methoxyethanones 2 to cyclopentadienes and 1,3-cyclohexadiene respectively. Compounds 3 can be converted to the aromatized analogues by reaction with 2,3-dichloro-5,6-dicyanobenzoquinone in refluxing benzene. Compounds 10 are oxidized by sulfur either in decalin or in quinoline to substituted 6-benzoylphenanthridines.