Base- and acid-catalyzed condensation reactions of reissert compounds with vinylpyridines

The hydrochloric acid-catalyzed condensation of 2-p-anisoyl-1,2-dihydroisoquinaldonitrile ( 3 ) with 2-vinylpyridine gave 2-(1-isoquinolyl)-3-(2-pyridyl)-5-p-anisylpyrrole ( 4 ), and the corresponding reaction of 3 with 4-vinylpyridine afforded 2-(1-isoquinolyl)-3-(4-pyridyl)-5-p-anisylpyrrole (5). The condensation of the lithium salt of 3 with 4-vinylpyridine gave α-(4-pyridyl)-β-(1-iso-quinolyl)-p-methoxypropiophenone ( 10 ), which was cyclized to 2-(4-pyridyl)-3-p-anisylpyrrolo-[2,1-a]isoquinoline (7) by the action of concentrated hydrochloric acid. 2-(4-Pyridyl)-3-phenyl-pyrrolo[2,1-a]isoquinoline ( 6 ) and 2-(2-pyridyl)-3-p-anisylpyrrolo[2,1-a]isoquinoline ( 8 ) were prepared by analogous sequences of reactions.