Quinolone analogues 1. A convenient synthesis of 1‐alkyl‐4‐oxo‐1,4‐dihydropyridazino[3,4‐b]quinoxaline‐3‐carboxylic acids

The reaction of the alkylhydrazinoquinoxaline N‐oxides 2a‐d with dimethyl acetylenedicarboxylate gave the dimethyl 1‐alkyl‐1,5‐dihydropyridazino[3,4‐b]qumoxaline‐3,4‐dicarboxylates 3a‐d , whose reaction with nitrous acid effected the C₄‐oxidation to afford the dimethyl 1‐alkyl‐4‐hydroxy‐1,4‐dihydropyridazino‐[3,4‐b]quinoxaline‐3,4‐dicarboxylates 4a‐d , respectively. The reaction of compounds 4a‐d with 1,8‐diazabicyclo[5.4.0]‐7‐undecene in ethanol provided the ethyl 1‐alkyl‐4‐oxo‐1,4‐dihydropyridazino[3,4‐b]quinoxa‐line‐3‐carboxylates 5a‐d , while the reaction of compounds 4a‐d with potassium hydroxide furnished the 1‐alkyl‐4‐oxo‐1,4‐dihydropyridazino[3,4‐b]quinoxaline‐3‐carboxylic acids 6a‐d , respectively. Compounds 6c,d were also obtained by the reaction of compounds 5c,d with potassium hydroxide, respectively.