We have elaborated a general and simple microwave-assisted method for the synthesis of original 8-ylidene decorated benzazecines. We have shown that under the action of electron-deficient alkynes in acetic acid the starting benzoannulated azacyclic allenes or 1-alkyl(benzyl)-1-phenylethynylsubstituted isoquinolines underwent transformations leading to benzazecines in high yields. In acetic acid all reactions pro-[a] Dr. A. A. Titov, M. S.
Results and DiscussionWe initiated our study with estimating the influence of protonic solvents on the transformations of phenylethynyl decorated isoquinolines 1a-g under the action electron-deficient alkynes. The starting 1-alkyl(benzyl)-1-phenylethynyl-6,7-dimethoxyisoquinolines 1a-g were synthesized according to the previously described procedure [23] from 1-alkyl(benzyl)-3,4-dihydroisoquinolinium methiodide derived via the Bischler-Napieralski reaction followed by alkylation [20] (Scheme 1). Scheme 1. Synthesis of starting 1-alkyl(benzyl)-1-phenylethynyl-6,7-dimethoxyisoquinolines 1a-g.Scheme 3. Reactions of isoquinolines 1b-g with methyl propiolate in HFIP.