Potential antidepressants. Synthesis of 6,11-dihydrodibenzo[b,e]thiepin-11-yl 4-(dimethylamino-methyl)phenyl ketone and of some related compounds

Reactions of dibenzo[b,e]thiepin-11(6H)-one (4) with 2-, 3- and 4-(dimethylaminomethyl)phenylmagnesium bromide afforded the tertiary alcohols 5a,b,c. The aldehydes 7 and 8 gave similarly the secondary alcohols 9a,b,c and 10c . Numerous attempts to prepare the corresponding ketones, especially by oxidation of 9a,b,c and 10c were unsuccessful. Only the oxidation of 9c with tetrabutylammonium chromate in chloroform afforded the desired ketone 16 . Its formation was accompanied by an important side reaction consisting in a cleavage of the “retro-ene-reaction” type leading to compound 11 and the aldehyde 13c which reacted with the chloroform present to give the alcohol 17 . Compounds 5a,b,c, 9a,b,c and 16 were tested as potential antidepressants but with the exception of some effects in the test of potentiation of yohimbine toxicity in mice, they proved inactive in this line.