A versatile synthesis of tricyclic analogues of quinolone antibacterial agents: Use of a novel Reformatsky reaction

Article abstract of DOI:10.1016/S0040-4039(97)82976-0

A simple synthesis of tricyclic analogues of the quinolone antibiotics bearing a diverse range of substituents on the aromatic ring is described. The key steps involve unprecedented Reformatsky reaction between diethyl bromomalonate and N-arylpyrrolidine-2-thiones 8, followed by cyclisation of the resulting enaminone intermediates 9 in polyphosphoric acid.