The Astounding Chemistry of a 2‐Amino‐1,2‐dihydroisoquinoline Derivative

The cycloadducts of isoquinolinium N‐phenyl imide 2 with C=C bonds are derivatives of 2‐amino‐1,2‐dihydroisoquinoline. Their N^β‐vinylphenylhydrazine system is amenable to an acid‐catalyzed 3,3]‐sigmatropic shift; the formation of pentacyclic aminals is exemplified by 6 → 8 . The dimethyl maleate adduct 11 , C₂₁H₂₀N₂O₄, is exceptional by being converted on treatment with acid to bright‐yellow crystals, C₂₄H₂₂N₂O₆ (additional C₃H₂O₂). X‐Ray crystal‐structure analysis and NMR spectra reveal structure 13 , and mechanistic studies indicated an initial β‐elimination at the N?N bond of 11 to yield 18 ; this step is followed by a retro‐Mannich‐type cleavage that gives methyl isoquinoline‐1‐acetate ( 14 ) and methyl 2‐(phenylimino)acetate ( 15 ), according to the sequence C₂₁H₂₀N₂O₄ ( 11 )→ 18 →C₁₂H₁₁NO₂ ( 14 )+C₉H₉NO₂ ( 15 ). In the second act of the drama, electrophilic attack by 15 ‐H⁺ on the ene‐hydrazine group of a second molecule of 11 furnishes 13 by a polystep intramolecular redox reaction. All rate constants must be fine‐tuned in this reaction cascade to give 13 in yields of up to 78% with an overall stoichiometry: 2 C₂₁H₂₀N₂O₄ ( 11 )→C₂₄H₂₂N₂O₆ ( 13 )+C₁₂H₁₁NO₂ ( 14 )+aniline. Interception and model experiments confirmed the above pathway. A by‐product, C₃₃H₃₁N₃O₆ ( 62 ), arises from an acid‐catalyzed dimerization of 11 and subsequent elimination of 15 .