New 2-methyl-6-alkylamino-5,8-quinolinequinones and 1,2,3,4-tetrahydro derivatives

The syntheses of six new 2-methyl-6-alkylamino-5,8-quinolinequinones, three 1,2,3,4-tetrahydro-5,8-quinolinequinones, and 7-(2′,6′,10′-trimethylundecyl)-6-hydroxy-5,8-quinolinequinone are described as potential antimetabolites of coenzyme Q and as potential antimalarial agents. The six 2-methyl-6-alkylamino-5,8-quinolinequinones were prepared by a six-step synthesis. 2-Methyl-6-methoxy-8-nitroquinoline was prepared from 2-nitro-4-methoxyaniline and crotonaldehyde by a Skraup reaction. Raney nickel reduction gave 2-methyl-6-metboxy-8-aminoquinoline, which upon diazotization followed by dithionite reduction yielded 2-methyl-6-methoxy-5,8-diaminoquinoline. Subsequent dichromate oxidation gave 2-methyl-6-methoxy-5,8-quinolinequinone, which yielded the corresponding 2-methyl-6-alkylamino-5,8-quinolinequinone in good yield when treated with the appropriate alkylamine. The telrahydro-5,8-quinolinequinones were prepared by catalytic hydrogenation of the appropriate 5,8-quinolinequinones at elevated H₂ pressure followed by air oxidation of the reduction product. 7-(2′,6′,10′-Trimethylundecyl)-6-hydroxy-5,8-quinolinequinone was synthesized by radical alkylation of 6-hydroxy-5,8-quinolinequinone by thermal decomposition of di-3,7,11-trimethyldodecanoyl peroxide, which was prepared by a multistep procedure from farnesol. Of the five new 2-methyl-6-alkylamino-5,8-quinoline-quinones tested against P. berghei in mice (blood schizonticidal test), only 2-methyl-6-cycloheptylamino-5,8-quinolinequinone was active (T-C = 6.1 at 320 mg./kg.). Both 7-(2′,6′,10′-trimelhytundecyl)-6-hydroxy-5,8-quinolinequinone and the tetrahydro derivatives were inactive in this same test system.