Convenient syntheses of halo-dibenz[b,f]azepines and carbamazepine analogues via N-arylindoles.

The dibenz[b,f]azepine heterocyclic system and related molecules with a single 10,11-bond are important templates for well-prescribed drug molecules, notably carbamazepine (anticonvulsant), clomipramine and imipramine (antidepressants). We synthesised a range of halogenated carbamazepine analogues, in connection with metabolic and immunological studies, as probes for structure-metabolism and hypersensitive effects and have published on their metabolic behaviour. While a number of synthetic routes to such analogues are possible, we naturally sought short and efficient methods for our target compounds.

Haloarene derivatives of carbamazepine with reduced bioactivation liabilities: 2-monohalo and 2,8-dihalo derivatives.

The anticonvulsant carbamazepine 1 is associated with adverse drug reactions (ADRs), including hepatotoxicity; oxidative metabolism of 1 has been implicated in the pathogenesis of the ADRs. We report the synthesis and evaluation of 2-monohalo and 2,8-dihalo analogues of 1 that were intended to minimize reactive metabolite formation via arene oxidation and 10,11-epoxidation. Halo analogues were obtained either by rearrangement of halogenated N-arylindoles or from specifically halogenated iminodibenzyl derivatives.

Convenient syntheses of benzo-fluorinated dibenz[b,f]azepines: rearrangements of isatins, acridines, and indoles.

Efficient procedures for the synthesis of benzo-fluorinated dibenz[b,f]azepines (iminostilbenes) from fluorinated isatins or indoles using a number of ring-expansion reactions are described. A range of mono- and difluorinated analogues is accessible, and the syntheses can deliver gram quantities of the final products, which are precursors of fluoro analogues of the important anticonvulsant carbamazepine.