Syntheses of phenanthridines and benzophenanthridines by intramolecular ortho-arylation of aryl amide ions with aryl halides via SRN1 reactions

The photostimulated reaction of N-(2-halo-benzyl)aryl amines with t-BuOK in liquid ammonia affords fused azaheterocycles by the S_RN1 mechanism. The starting materials are easily obtained by the reaction of 2-halo-benzyl chloride and aromatic amines to prepare the secondary amines. Through this approach, phenanthridine (90%), 4-phenylphenanthridine (87%), benzo[a]phenanthridine (98%), and benzo[c]phenanthridine (84%) were synthesized.