4‐Chloro‐3′‐methylsulfinyl‐5(6 or 8)‐nitro‐3,4′‐diquinolinyl sulfides

Reaction of 4‐chloro‐3′‐methylthio‐3,4′‐diquinolinyl sulfides 3, 9b, 9c with a nitrating mixture proceeds via the 3′‐methylthio group monooxidation and yields 3′‐methylsulfinyl diquinolinyl sulfides 4, 5b, 5c , respectively. Further treatment of 4 with a nitrating mixture followed as C₅‐ and C₈‐nitration and gives mixture of 5a and 5c. Treatment of 3′‐methylsulfinyl quinolines 6 and 7 with hydrochloric acid/potassium iodide system causes reduction of the sulfoxide group in 6 and 7 to the sulfide group yielding 8 , in case of 4‐methoxyquinolines 6 , hydrolysis of the 4‐methoxyquinoline moiety to the 4‐quinolinone moiety takes place simultaneously. The proton and carbon chemical shifts of 4 and 5a were completely assigned following COSY, HETCOR and INEPT or COLOC studies.