Rearrangements of 4-(2-Aminophenyl)-1,4-dihydro-2,6-dimethyl-3,5-pyridinedicarboxylic acid diethyl ester

The treatment of 4-(2-aminophenyl)-1,4-dihydro-2,6-dimethyl-3,5-pyridinecarboxylic acid diethyl ester (III) with refluxing toluene or pyridine afforded 1,2,3,6-tetrahydro-2,4-dimethyl-2,6-methano-1,3-benzodiazocine-5,11-dicarboxylic acid diethyl ester (IV) as the major product. In addition, the following minor products were isolated: 2-methyl-3-quinolinecarboxylic acid ethyl ester (V), 3-(2-aminophenyl)-5-methyl-6-azabicyclo[3,3,1]-hept-1-ene-2,4-dicarboxylic acid diethyl ester (VI), and 5,6-dihydro-2,4-dimethyl-5-oxobenzo[c][2,7]naphthyridine-1-carboxylic acid ethyl ester (VII). In contrast, acidic conditions caused the conversion of III into V in a 95% yield. The formation of the latter appears to involve IV as an intermediate, since IV degraded rapidly in acid to give V in a quantitative yield.