APEX-2 (HRMS) and elemental analyses were performed on a
GMBH Vario EL instrument.
All glassware was oven dried (120 ЊC) over a 10 h period.
Xylene was distilled from sodium benzophenone ketyl. Light
petroleum refers to the fraction bp 60–90 ЊC.
CDCl3) 7.08 (1H, d, J 8.9), 6.90 (2H, d, J 8.9), 6.85 (1H, dd,
J 8.9, 2.9), 6.82 (2H, d, J 8.9), 6.41 (1H, d, J 2.9), 4.66 (2H, s),
3.79 (3H, s), 3.71 (3H, s), 3.65 (3H, s); δC (125 MHz, CDCl3)
161.9, 160.5, 156.8, 155.1, 142.6, 138.3, 131.6, 129.2, 123.7,
123.4, 122.5, 115.6, 114.7, 113.9, 57.6, 55.5, 55.4, 40.9; HRMS
(EI): 366.1207, C20H18N2O5 requires 366.1216.
General procedure for the preparation of quinolines 7a,b
1,7-Dimethyl-4-(4-methylphenyl)benzo[ f ][1,4]diazepine-2,3-
dicarboxylic anhydride 13b. 0.50 g, 30%, as red crystals, mp
155–156 ЊC (Found: C 71.5, H 5.3, N 8.5. C20H18N2O3 requires
C 71.8, H 5.4, N 8.4%); IR (KBr) (νmax/cmϪ1): 1833, 1815 and
Under a nitrogen atmosphere, 4-substituted N-methylform-
anilides 1a,b (10 mmol) and oxalyl chloride (11 mmol) were
mixed at 0 ЊC to form a sticky solid, which was then cooled to
Ϫ78 ЊC. To this solid Vilsmeier reagent, xylene (5 ml) followed
by a solution of Hünig’s base (12 mmol) in xylene (10 ml) was
added with stirring to form a suspension. After a ½ h, diethyl
acetylenedicarboxylate 4 in xylene (5 ml) was added and the
temperature increased from Ϫ78 ЊC to room temperature dur-
ing 3 h. The reaction mixture was stirred at room temperature
for 2 h and then at 50 ЊC for another 2 h. The reaction mixture
was chromatographed directly. The xylene was removed by
washing the column with light petroleum. Compound 5 and
dimers 6 were eluted with a mixture of light petroleum and
ethyl acetate (10 : 1). Finally, the red products 7a,b were isolated
by eluting with light petroleum : ethyl acetate (4 : 1).
1749 (O᎐COC᎐O), 1635 (C᎐C); δ (500 MHz, CDCl3) 7.09–
᎐
᎐
᎐
H
7.13 (3H, m), 7.02 (1H, d, J 8.1), 6.86 (2H, d, J 7.5), 6.70 (1H,
s), 4.71 (2H, s), 3.67 (3H, s), 2.32 (3H, s), 2.71 (3H, s); δC (125
MHz, CDCl3) 162.3, 160.7, 147.6, 142.9, 134.4, 133.7, 130.8,
130.6, 130.4, 129.5, 123.6, 122.2, 121.4, 57.4, 41.2, 21.2, 20.9;
m/z (EI) 334 (90, Mϩ).
7-Fluoro-4-(4-fluorophenyl)-1-methylbenzo[ f ][1,4]diazepine-
2,3-dicarboxylic anhydride 13c. 0.79 g, 46%, as red crystals, mp
208–209 ЊC; IR (KBr) (νmax/cmϪ1): 1838, 1812 and 1748
(O᎐COC᎐O), 1637 (C᎐C); δ (500 MHz, CDCl3) 7.12–7.13
᎐
᎐
᎐
H
(1H, m), 6.99–7.06 (3H, m), 6.94 (2H, t, J 4.2), 6.60 (1H, d,
J 7.5), 4.69 (2H, s), 3.68 (3H, s); δC (125 MHz, CDCl3) 161.9,
161.3, 160.5, 159.3 (d), 157.4, 146.0, 141.4, 132.5 (d), 130.0,
124.2 (d), 123.4 (d), 117.1, 116.9 (d), 116.7, 116.6, 57.4, 41.4;
HRMS (EI): 342.0813, C18H12O3F2N2 requires 342.0810.
Diethyl 2-(2-chloro-1,2-bis(ethoxycarbonyl)vinyl)-6-methoxy–
1-methyl-1,2-dihydroquinoline-3,4-dicarboxylate 7a. 0.86 g,
33%, as red crystals, mp 108–109 ЊC; IR (KBr) (νmax/cmϪ1): 1742
(C᎐O), 1733 (C᎐O), 1722 (C᎐O), 1698 (C᎐O); δ (500 MHz,
᎐
᎐
᎐
᎐
H
CDCl3) 6.85 (1H, dd, J 8.9, 2.7), 6.52 (1H, d, J, 2.7), 6.50 (1H,
d, J 9.0), 6.33 (1H, s), 4.37–4.42 (4H, m), 4.20 (2H, q, J 7.1),
3.75 (2H, q, J 6.8), 3.70 (3H, s), 3.04 (3H, s), 1.36–1.42 (6H, m),
1.25 (3H, t, J 7.1), 1.10 (3H, t, J 7.2); δC (125 MHz, CDCl3)
167.4, 165.5, 163.8, 162.4, 152.2, 141.6, 140.6, 139.7, 122.3,
119.8, 118.2, 117.6, 113.4, 112.1, 63.2, 62.7, 62.0, 61.7, 57.4,
56.2; HRMS (FAB): 524.1694, C25H30ClNO9 requires 524.1682.
7-Chloro-4-(4-chlorophenyl)-1-methylbenzo[ f ][1,4]diazepine-
2,3-dicarboxylic anhydride 13d. 0.53 g, 28%, as red crystals, mp
179–180 ЊC (Found: C 57.1, H 2.8, N 6.9. C18H12Cl2N2O3
requires C 57.6, H 3.2, N 7.5%); IR (KBr) (νmax/cmϪ1): 1840,
1818 and 1763 (O᎐COC᎐O), 1637 (C᎐C); δ (500 MHz, CDCl )
᎐
᎐
᎐
H
3
7.32 (1H, dd, J 8.7, 2.4), 7.27 (2H, d, J 9.6), 7.08 (1H, d, J 8.7),
6.90 (2H, d, J 8.7), 6.88 (1H, d, J 2.4), 4.71 (2H, s), 3.69 (3H, s);
δC (125 MHz, CDCl3) 161.7, 160.2, 148.4, 143.6, 132.2, 130.7,
130.4, 130.1, 130.0, 129.3, 123.2, 123.1, 122.7, 56.8, 41.5;
HRMS (EI): 374.0229, C18H12Cl2N2O3 requires 374.0225.
Diethyl
2-(2-chloro-1,2-bis(ethoxycarbonyl)vinyl)-1,6-di-
methyl-1,2-dihydroquinoline-3,4-dicarboxylate 7b. 0.43 g,
17%, as red crystals, mp 105–106 ЊC (Found: C 58.9, H 5.4, N
2.65. C25H30ClNO8 requires C 59.1, H 5.95, N 2.8%); IR (KBr)
(νmax/cmϪ1): 1744 (C᎐O), 1722 (C᎐O), 1696 (C᎐O); δ (500
7-Bromo-4-(4-bromophenyl)-1-methylbenzo[ f ][1,4]diazepine-
2,3-dicarboxylic anhydride 13e. 0.51 g, 22%, as red crystals, mp
143–146 ЊC (Found: C 47.0, H 2.4, N 5.7. C18H12Br2N2O3
requires C 46.6, H 2.6, N 6.0%); IR (KBr) (νmax/cmϪ1): 1838,
᎐
᎐
᎐
H
MHz, CDCl3) 6.96 (1H, d, J 8.2), 6.65 (1H, s), 6.39 (1H, d,
J 8.3), 6.28 (1H, s), 4.27–4.36 (4H, m), 4.13 (2H, q, J 7.1), 3.66
(2H, q, J 7.1), 2.98 (3H, s), 2.10 (3H, s), 1.27–1.36 (6H, m), 1.17
(3H, t, J 7.1), 1.01 (3H, t, J 7.1); HRMS (EI): 507.1665,
C25H30ClNO8 requires 507.1660
1817 and 1752 (O᎐COC᎐O), 1637 (C᎐C); δ (500 MHz, CDCl )
᎐
᎐
᎐
H
3
7.46 (1H, d, J 8.5), 7.41 (2H, d, J 8.4), 7.03 (1H, s), 7.02 (1H, d,
J 8.8), 6.84 (2H, d, J 8.4), 4.71 (2H, s), 3.69 (3H, s); δC (125
MHz, CDCl3) 161.6, 160.1, 148.9, 144.1, 133.0, 132.8, 132.5,
130.0, 123.5 (two carbons), 122.7, 118.0, 116.9, 56.6, 41.4; m/z
(EI) 462 (30, Mϩ)/464 (32)/466 (25)/468 (10), 155 (100, BrC6H4).
General procedure for the preparation of benzo[1,4]diazepines 13
and 23
Under a nitrogen atmosphere, substituted N-methylformanilide
1a–h or N-benzylformanilide 22a–c,f (10 mmol) and oxalyl
chloride (15 mmol) were mixed at 0 ЊC to form a sticky solid. To
this solid Vilsmeier reagent, xylene (5 ml) was added with stir-
ring to form a suspension, which was then cooled to Ϫ78 ЊC. A
solution of Hünig’s base (15 mmol) in xylene (10 ml) was added
dropwise to the Vilsmeier reagent over 30 min. The temperature
was then increased from Ϫ78 ЊC to room temperature during
3 h. The reaction mixture was stirred at room temperature or at
50 ЊC for a period of time (see Table 1). After removal of the
xylene under vacuum, the reaction mixture was chromato-
graphed on silica gel. The red products 13 and 23 were isolated
by eluting with light petroleum : ethyl acetate (4 : 1) and further
purified by crystallisation from ethyl acetate and light
petroleum.
1-Methyl-4-phenylbenzo[ f ][1,4]diazepine-2,3-dicarboxylic
anhydride 13f. 0.92 g, 60%, as red crystals, mp 162–163 ЊC
(Found: C 70.4, H 4.2, N 9.0. C18H14N2O3 requires C 70.6, H
4.6, N 9.1%); IR (KBr) (νmax/cmϪ1): 1838, 1805 and 1753
(O᎐COC᎐O), 1637 (C᎐C); δ (500 MHz, CDCl3) 7.32–7.34
᎐
᎐
᎐
H
(1H, m), 7.29 (2H, t, J 8.5), 7.15 (1H, d, J 8.2), 7.10 (1H, t,
J 7.4), 6.97 (2H, d, J 7.7), 6.90 (2H, m), 4.79 (2H, s), 3.72 (3H,
s); δC (125 MHz, CDCl3) 161.7, 160.2, 149.7, 144.9, 130.6,
129.9, 129.7, 129.6, 129.4, 124.3, 123.8, 122.8, 121.6, 121.2,
56.8, 40.9; m/z (EI) 306 (100, Mϩ).
8-Fluoro-4-(3-fluorophenyl)-1-methylbenzo[ f ][1,4]diazepine-
2,3-dicarboxylic anhydride 13g. 0.60 g, 35%, as red crystals,
mp 186–188 ЊC (Found: C 63.2, H 3.1, N 8.0. C18H12F2N2O3
requires C 63.2, H 3.5, N 8.2%); IR (KBr) (νmax/cmϪ1): 1834,
7-Methoxy-4-(4-methoxyphenyl)-1-methylbenzo[ f ][1,4]-
diazepine-2,3-dicarboxylic anhydride 13a. 0.48 g, 26%, as red
crystals, mp 160–161 ЊC (Found: C 65.7, H 4.5, N 7.5. C20H18-
N2O5 requires C 65.6, H 4.95, N 7.65%); IR (KBr) (νmax/cmϪ1):
1817 and 1754 (O᎐COC᎐O), 1635(C᎐C); δ (500 MHz, CDCl )
᎐ ᎐ ᎐
H 3
7.23–7.25 (1H, m), 6.87–6.91 (2H, m), 6.78–6.82 (1H, m), 6.68–
6.73 (2H, m), 6.64–6.65 (1H, m), 4.74 (2H, s), 3.71 (3H, s);
δC (125 MHz, CDCl3) 164.3/164.2 (d), 162.4/162.3 (d), 161.2,
159.8, 150.7, 146.3, 131.3/131.2 (d), 130.6/130.6 (d), 129.9,
1832, 1803 and 1740 (O᎐COC᎐O), 1629 (C᎐C); δ (500 MHz,
᎐
᎐
᎐
H
O r g . B i o m o l . C h e m . , 2 0 0 3 , 1, 3 6 0 5 – 3 6 1 0
3608