Synthesis of pyrrolo- and pyrido[1,2-a]xanthene [1,9-de]azepines: a study of the azepine ring construction.

Pentacyclic pyrrolo- and pyrido[1,2-a]xanthene[1,9-de]azepines were synthesized in various oxidation states by assembling the azepine ring following two strategies: 7-endo-trig cyclization of the aryl radical derived from a gamma-methylene lactam and cyclodehydration of aldehydes. Other strategies examined (Heck reaction and intramolecular acylation) did not afford azepines, but six-membered nitrogenated rings.

Synthesis and receptor binding evaluation of clavizepine analogues with no ring D substituents.

Assembly of the azepine ring of xantheno[9,1-cd]azepines by electrophilic cyclization of sulfonamide acetals provides access to clavizepine analogues in the form of 2,12b-dihydro- or 4-hydroxy-2,3,4,12b-tetrahydro-1H-xantheno[9,1-cd]azepines, in the latter case producing the trans derivative stereoselectively. Binding assays for clavizepine and analogues at adrenergic, dopaminergic, and serotonergic receptors are reported.

Intramolecular dehydro Diels-Alder reactions of diarylacetylenes: switching between benzo[b]- and benzo[c]fluorenones as products by controlling the rearrangement of cyclic allene intermediates.

Thermal cyclization of 1-[2-(arylethynyl)phenyl]-3-trimethylsilylpropynones affords a mixture of benzo[b]fluorenones and benzo[c]fluorenones. The ratio of the two isomers can be efficiently varied between 100:0 and 0:100 by introducing substituents with appropriate electronic and steric properties on the aryl rings and using an appropriate solvent.

Synthesis of the tetracyclic core of anthracycline antibiotics by an intramolecular dehydro Diels-Alder approach.

[reaction: see text] A conceptually new approach to the tetracyclic core of the anthracycline antibiotics is reported. With use of this approach, the 7,8,9,10-tetrahydronaphthacene-5,12-dione skeleton has been synthesized in three steps, from commercially available reagents, in yields of up to 85%.

Cyclic allene intermediates in intramolecular dehydro Diels-Alder reactions: labeling and theoretical cycloaromatization studies.

A comprehensive theoretical and experimental investigation of dehydro Diels-Alder reactions examining the evolution of the cyclic allene intermediates under conditions for intramolecular and ionic and radical intermolecular cycloaromatization processes is reported. Theoretical calculations showed that the most favored intramolecular path for cycloaromatization of 1,2,4-cyclohexatriene 4 and its benzoannulated derivative 14, strained cyclic allenes, consists of a pair of successive [1,2] H shifts rather than a [1,5] shift. Cycloaromatization of cyclic allenes may follow both inter- and intramolecular pathways, depending on the experimental conditions (use of protic or aprotic solvents).

A study of aryl radical cyclization in enaminone esters.

Aryl radical cyclization in N-phenyl, N-benzyl, and N-phenethyl enaminone esters 1a-f was studied. N-Benzyl and N-phenethyl enaminones afforded 5-exo and 6-exo cyclization products, respectively, but radical cyclization did not occur in N-phenyl enaminones. The rate constants for the 5-exo and 6-exo cyclization processes in secondary enaminones were estimated as being on the order of 10(7) s(-1) at 353 K; since DNMR experiments showed the rate constant for rotation around the enaminone C3-N bond to be on the order of 10(4) s(-1) at this temperature, the initial enaminone configuration is maintained throughout the cyclization process.

Regioselective Synthesis of Isoquino[1,2-b][3]benzazepines (Homoprotoberberines) through 11-Membered-Ring Stilbene Lactams Obtained by Radical Macrocyclization.

Silylated 11-membered-ring stilbene lactams 3 (E and Z) were easily prepared by intramolecular addition of an aryl radical to a trimethylsilylacetylene. Oxidation of their hindered stilbene double bonds with dioxiranes gave oxidative cleavage of their electron-rich aromatic rings. However, reduction of the amide to an amine functionality in both lactams (E and Z) triggers a regioselective [7,6]-transannular cyclization to isoquino[1,2-b][3]benzazepines (homoprotoberberines).

Dioxirane Epoxidation of 10-Membered-Ring Stilbene Lactams as Synthetic Precursors to Protoberberines.

Silylated stilbene lactams 1, prepared by intramolecular addition of an aryl radical to a trimethylsilylacetylene, were converted into protoberberines by dimethyldioxirane (DMD) epoxidation and subsequent acid-catalyzed cyclization of the epoxysilane with HCl. Treatment of the nonsilylated trans- and cis-stilbene derivatives with DMD afforded 13-hydroxytetrahydroprotoberberines and 13a-hydroxy-13-ketotetrahydroprotoberberines as the main products. Tetrahydroprotoberberines were also obtained in excellent yields by the reaction of both silylated and nonsilylated lactams with hydriodic acid.

A Radical Cyclization Approach to Isoindolobenzazepines. Synthesis of Lennoxamine.

The alkaloid lennoxamine (1) was synthesized by transannular cyclization of a 10-membered lactam obtained by intramolecular addition of an aryl radical to a (trimethylsilyl)acetylene. The isoindolo[1,2-b][3]benzazepine skeleton present in lennoxamine was also obtained by means of regioselective 7-endo-trig radical cyclization of methylenephthalimidines.