10.1016/j.tet.2004.03.049
The research presents a highly efficient synthesis method for lennoxamine and related isoindolobenzazepines, which are alkaloids derived from the Chilean plant Berberis darwinii. The study focuses on an improved approach to synthesizing these compounds through intramolecular condensation of aldehyde isoindolones under basic conditions, followed by catalytic hydrogenation of the resulting dehydroisoindolobenzazepines. Key reactants in the synthesis include aldehyde isoindolones, which are derived from the alkylation-acylation of arylethylamines with ethyl 2-chloromethylbenzoate derivatives. The synthesis involves formylation using dichloromethyl methyl ether and titanium tetrachloride, and the cyclization is performed in refluxing methanolic KOH. The dehydro intermediates are then catalytically hydrogenated to yield the final products. Analyses of the synthesized compounds were conducted using techniques such as 1H and 13C NMR spectroscopy, mass spectrometry, and infrared spectroscopy, with purification through column chromatography and recrystallization from methanol. The research also discusses the structural requirements for successful synthesis, such as the facilitative role of methoxy groups in the cyclization process.