Reaktionen von o-Chinonen mit Aminen und Proteinen. 4. Mitteilung. 7a-Methyl-5,6-dioxo-5,6,7,7a-tetrahydroindol-Derivate aus 4-Methylbrenzcatechin und Enaminen

Reactions of o-Quinones with Amines and Proteins. 7a-Methyl-5,6,7,7a-tetrahysroindole Derivatives from 4-Methylcatechol and Enamines Methyl l-[2′-(methoxycarbonyl)ethyl]-7a-methyl-5,6-dioxo-5.6.7,7a-tetrahydro-indole-3-carboxylate ( 1 ) was isolated after the oxidation of 4-methylcatechol with silver ( 1 ) oxide in the presence of b?-alanine methyl ester in glacial acetic acid. The formation of 1 requires in situ dehydrogenation of the b?-aminocarboxylate and addition of the resulting enamine to 4-methyl-1,2-benzoquinone. Reaction of ethyl 3-(phenylamino)crotonate with 4-methyl-1,2-benzoquinone afforded ethyl 2,7a-dimethyl-5,6-dioxo-1-phenyl-5,6,7,7a-tetrahydroindole-3-carboxylate ( 6 ). Despite the fact that the yields are low, the addition of enamines to o-quinones represents an interesting novel extension of the Nenitzescu-reaction which is well known in the p-quinone series. Compound 1 may be considered as a novel model for the crosslinking of proteins by o-quinones. Formation of 1 was, however, not observed under physiological conditions.