124.8 (CH), 126.5 (CH), 126.5 (CH), 127.5 (CH), 128.0 (CH),
128.5 (CH), 130.5 (CH), 137.7 (C), 138.2 (C), 141.0 (C), 171.8 (C)
H-9), 7.52–7.25 (m, 3H), 7.82 (d, J = 6.3 Hz, 1H, 1-H); 13C NMR
(125.8 MHz, CDCl3 at 263 K) d = 23.1, 31.9, 35.0, 48.1. 52.1, 58.6,
123.4, 123.5, 125.4, 127.1, 127.9, 130.1, 131.5, 131.9, 134.1, 134.3,
1
136.4, 137.4, 167.2, 167.6, 168.2. H NMR (500 MHz, CDCl3 at
General procedure for the aluminium chloride-mediated synthesis
333 K): d = 1.87–1.98 (m, 1H), 1.99–2.07 (m, 1H), 2.51–2.60 (m,
2H), 3.41 (dd, J = 15.8, 4.5 Hz, 1H), 3.45–3.53 (m, 1H), 3.84
(dd, J = 16.2, 8.9 Hz, 1H), 3.88–3.94 (m, 1H), 5.10 (dd, J = 7.8,
8.9 Hz, 1H), 5.39 (dd, J = 8.8, 3.7 Hz, 1H), 7.07 (d, J = 6.8 Hz,
1H), 7.15 (t, J = 7.3 Hz, 1H), 7.22 (t, J = 7.4 Hz, 1H), 7.29 (d,
J = 7.8 Hz, 1H), 7.63–7.67 (m, 2H), 7.76–7,78 (m, 2H). Chiral
HPLC was run on a Chiracel OJ 4.6 ¥ 250 mm column with 10 mm
particle size, eluting with heptane–EtOH 1 : 1 at a flow rate of
1 mL/min. Retention times of 8.1 and 11.4 min. were obtained for
each enantiomer.
of the 2,3,6,10b-tetrahydro-1H-pyrrolo[2,1-a]isoquinolin-5-ones
To a stirred solution of the phenyl acetamide (2 mmol) in CHCl3
(30 mL) was added AlCl3 (6 mmol) at ambient temperature. The
reaction was monitored by taking a small aliquot of the reaction
mixture, adding a few drops of water, basifying with K2CO3
and then analysing the CHCl3 layer on silica TLC, eluting with
EtOAc. The reaction was stirred until the high running spot had
disappeared. The reaction mixture was then cooled, water was
added (2 mL) and the aqueous layer basified, then saturated with
K2CO3. The organic layer was separated and the solid residue
extracted with DCM (2 ¥ 30 mL). The combined organic extracts
were dried (K2CO3), separated and concentrated in vacuo. The
residue was purified by column chromatography on silica, initially
absorbing the compound from a DCM solution, and then eluting
with Et2O containing appropriate amounts of MeOH up to 5%.
N-(4,4-Diethoxybutyl)-3,3-diphenylpropionamide (21). Iso-
lated◦ as an oil which solidified on standing (95% yield), mpt
61–4 C. 1H NMR (300 MHz, CDCl3): d = 1.18 (t, J = 7 Hz, 6H),
1.31–1.49 (m, 4H), 2.86 (d, J = 8 Hz, 2H), 3.10 (q, J = 6 Hz, 2H),
3.39–3.50 (m, 2H), 3.52–3.75 (m, 2H), 4.36 (t, J = 5 Hz, 1H),
4.56 (t, J = 8 Hz, 1H), 5.56 (brs, 1H), 7.14–7.31 (m, 10H); 13C
NMR and DEPT (75 MHz, CDCl3) d = 15.4 (CH3), 24.5 (CH2),
30.8 (CH2), 39.1 (CH2), 43.5 (CH2), 47.5 (CH), 102.6 (CH), 126.5
(CH), 127.8 (CH), 128.6 (CH), 143.7 (C), 171.0 (C).
N-(4,4-Diethoxybutyl)-3-phenylpropionamide (18a). Isolated
1
as an oil (100% yield). H NMR (300 MHz, CDCl3): d = 1.18
(t, J = 7.1 Hz, 6H), 1.44–1.62 (m, 4H), 2.43 (t, J = 7.5 Hz, 2H),
2.93 (t, J = 7.5 Hz, 2H), 3.20 (q, J = 6.3 Hz, 2H), 3.40–3.52 (m,
2H), 3.55–3.67 (m, 2H), 4.42 (t, J = 5 Hz, 1H). 5.73 (brs, 1H),
7.12- 7.30 (m, 5H); 13C NMR and DEPT (75 MHz, CDCl3) d =
15.3 (CH3), 24.5 (CH2), 31.0 (CH2), 31.8 (CH2), 38.5 (CH2), 39.2
(CH2), 61.4 (CH2), 102.6 (CH), 126.2 (CH), 128.3 (CH), 128.5
(CH), 140.9 (CH), 172.1 (C); nmax/cm-1 2974, 2928, 2874, 1643,
1589, 1453, 1373, 1125, 1058, 994, 749.
7-Phenyl-1,2,3,6,7,11b-hexahydro-benzo[c]pyrrolo[1,2-a]azepin-
5-one (22). Isolated as a solid (76% yield) mpt 118–9◦C
(Et2O/–petrol), HRMS theoretical mass: 277.1461, measured
mass: 277.1467. 1H NMR (500 MHz, CDCl3): d = 1.79–1.89 (m,
H-2), 1.92–2.02 (m, H-2), 2.27–2.36 (m, H-1), 2.50–2.58 (m, H-2),
2.83 (dd, J = 5, 15.1 Hz, H-6), 3.37–3.50 (m, H-3, H-6), 3.72–3.79
(m, H-3), 4.49 (dd, J = 5, 10.5 Hz, H-7), 7.08 (d, J = 8.3 Hz, 1H),
7.12 (dd, J = 1.4, 8.4 Hz, 2H), 7.16–7.23 (m,3H), 7.24–7.31 (m,
3H); 13C NMR (125.8 MHz, CDCl3) d = 23.1 (CH2), 30.4 (CH2),
42.6 (CH2), 46.0 (CH), 46.5 (CH2), 57.6 (CH), 124.9 (CH), 126.5
(CH), 127.5 (CH), 127.9 (CH), 128.7 (CH), 132.5 (CH), 137.4
(C), 141.8 (C), 145.7 (C), 170.3 (C); nmax/cm-1 1636, 1448, 1430,
1304, 755, 701.
1,2,3,6,7,11b - hexahydro - benzo[c]pyrrolo[1,2 - a]azepin - 5 - one
(19a). Isolated as an oil (80% yield), HRMS theoretical mass:
201.1148, measured mass: 201.1154. 1H NMR (300 MHz, CDCl3):
d = 1.76–2.02 (m, 2H), 2.22–2.55 (m, 3H), 2.78–2.95 (m, 2H), 3.15–
3.29 (m, 1H), 3.36–3.50 (m, 1H), 3.70–3.81 (m, 1H), 5.04 (t, J =
7.7 Hz, 1H,), 7.19–2.28 (m, 5H); 13C NMR and DEPT (75 MHz,
CDCl3) d = 22.8 (CH2), 29.1 (CH2), 30.6 (CH2), 35.9 (CH2), 48.1
(CH2), 56.9 (CH), 124.4 (CH), 126.5 (CH), 128.2 (CH), 128.9
(CH), 138.2 (C), 140.8 (C), 170.7 (C); nmax/cm-1 1596, 1446, 1401,
1306, 754, 696.
N-(4,4-Diethoxybutyl)-3,3,3-triphenylpropionamide (23). Iso-
lated as a white solid (96% yield), mpt 110–2◦C (Et2O–petrol).
1H NMR (300 MHz, CDCl3): d = 1,17 (t, J = 7 Hz, 6H), 1.25–
1.40 (m, 2H), 2.93 (q, J = 6 Hz, 2H), 3.35–3.48 (m, 2H), 3.50–3.64
(m, 4H including 3.54, s, 2H), 4.33 (t, J = 5.5 Hz, 1H), 4.85 (brs,
1H), 7.10–7.32 (m, 15H); 13C NMR and DEPT (75 MHz, CDCl3)
d = 15.4 (CH3), 24.2 (CH2), 30.8 (CH2), 39.2 (CH2), 48.8 (CH2),
56.2 (C), 61.1 (CH2), 102.5 (CH), 126.5 (CH), 128.1 (CH), 129.3
(CH), 146.3 (C), 170.5 (C).
(S)-N-(4,4-Diethoxybutyl)-2-[4-(1,3-dioxo-1,3-dihydroisoindol-
2-yl)-3-phenylpropionamide (20). Isolated as a white solid (91%
yield), mpt 78–80◦C. (Et2O–petrol). 1H NMR (300 MHz, CDCl3):
d = 1.11 (t, J = 7 Hz, 3H), 1.13 (t, J = 7 Hz, 3H), 1.51–1.67 (m,
4H), 3.18–3.62 (m, 8H), 4.44 (t, J = 5 Hz, 1H), 5.07 (dd, J = 6,
10 Hz, 1H), 6.40 (brs, 1H), 7.06–7.20 (m, 5H), 7.63–7.71 (m, 2H),
7.71–7.79 (m, 2H); nmax/cm-1 2973, 1712, 1642, 1545, 1380, 1103,
1065, 874, 721, 707.
7,7-Diphenyl-1,2,3,6,7,11b-hexahydro-benzo[c]pyrrolo[1,2-
a]azepin-5-one (24)
2-((6S,11bS)-5-Oxo-2,3,5,6,7,11b-hexahydro-1H-benzo[c]pyr-
Isolated as a white solid (90% yield), mpt 153–6◦C (Et2O–petrol).
HRMS theoretical mass: 353.1774, measured mass: 353.1785. 1H
NMR (300 MHz, CDCl3): d = 1.60–1.79 (m, 1H), 1.83–1.97 (m,
1H), 2.21–2.40 (m, 1H), 2.45–2.59 (m, 1H), 3.00–3.13 (m, 1H), 3.40
(d, J = 15 Hz, 1H), 3.84 (brt, J = 9 Hz, 1H), 3.92 (d, J = 15 Hz,
1H), 4.87 (dt, J = 2.7, 7 Hz, 1H), 6.64 (d, J = 7 Hz, 1H), 7.01–7.41
(m, 13H); 13C NMR and DEPT (75 MHz, CDCl3) d = 22.9 (CH2),
33.7 (CH2), 46.6 (CH2), 49.2 (CH2), 54.8 (C), 59.4 (CH2), 126.6
(CH), 126.7 (CH), 126.7 (CH), 126.9 (CH), 127.0 (CH), 127.7
rolo[1,2-a]azepin-6-yl)-isoindole-1,3-dione (10). Isolated as
a
1
glass (70% yield); H NMR (500 MHz, CDCl3 at 263 K): d =
1.85–1.97 (m, 1H, H-2), 2.01–2.19 (m, 1H, H-2), 2.48–2.59 (m,
2H, H-1,1), 3.41 (dd, J = 16.2, 3.9 Hz, 1H, H-7), 3.43–3.51 (m,
1H, H-3), 3.76 (dd, J = 16.2, 8.7 Hz, 1H, H-7), 3.88–3.95 (m, 1H,
H-8), 5.19 (t, J = 7.2 Hz, 1H, H-11b), 5.38 (dd, J = 8.7, 3.9 Hz,
1H, H-6), 7.05 (d, J = 7.5 Hz, 1H, H-8), 7.17 (t, J = 7.5 Hz, 1H,
H-9), 7.26 (t, J = 7.5 Hz, 1H, H-10), 7.32 (d, J = 7.5 Hz, 1H,
This journal is
The Royal Society of Chemistry 2009
Org. Biomol. Chem., 2009, 7, 3561–3571 | 3569
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