Imination of N-methylpyridinium salts by liquid ammonia-potassium permanganate. A new synthesis of nudiflorine

Reaction of substituted 1-methyl(benzyl)pyridinium salts ( 1 ) with liquid ammonia/potassium permanganate leads to introduction of the imino group at the carbon adjacent to the nitrogen. The regiospecificity of the reaction strongly depends on substituent X: at C-6 for X = H, CONH₂, C₆H₅ and at C-2 for X = CH₃. 3-Aminocarbonyl-1-t-butylpyridinium iodide ( 5 ) on treatment with liquid ammonia/potassium permanganate exclusively gives the 4-imino compound 8 ; ¹H nmr spectroscopy shows that 5 in liquid ammonia gives a mixture of the σ-adducts 4-amino-1,4-dihydro- and 6-amino-1,6-dihydro-3-pyridinecarbonamide ( 6 and 7 ). Surprisingly, an oxodemethylation reaction is observed on treatment of 3-aminocarbonyl-1,6-dimethylpyridinium iodide ( 13 ) with liquid ammonia/potassium permanganate, 1,6-dihydro-1-methyl-6-oxo-3-pyridinecarboxamide ( 14 ) being obtained. This compound can easily be converted by phosphorus oxychloride into the alkaloid nudiflorine ( 15 ).