Abstract
A convenient synthetic pathway to benzo[g]quinolines (1‐azaanthracenes) has been developed. The nickel catalyzed coupling of methyl 2‐chloronicotinate (3a) with benzylic organo zinc reagents 2a‐e led to the methyl 2‐benzylic substituted nicotinates 4a‐e. Treatment of methyl 2‐chloro‐6‐methylnicotinate (3b)with 2a in a similar manner led to methyl 2‐benzyl‐6‐methyInicotinate (4f). The coupling of 2‐chloro‐3‐acetylpyridine (5) with benzyl zinc bromide (2a) led to 2‐benzyl‐3‐acetylpyridine (4g). The coupling of the 2,5‐dichlorobenzylic organic zinc reagent (2f) with methyl 2‐choronicotinate (3a) was unselective but readily coupled with methyl 2‐bromonicotinate (6) to yield methyl 2‐(2,5‐dichlorobenzyl)nicotinate (4h). The esters 4a‐f,h on reduction with lithium aluminum hydride led to the corresponding alcohols 7a‐f,h which were subsequently oxidized with manganese dioxide to the respective 2‐benzylic substituted pyridine‐3‐carboxaldehydes 8a‐f,h. In one case the coupling of benzy] zinc bromide (2a) with 2‐chloropyridine‐3‐carboxaldehyde (9) led directly to 2‐benzylpyridine‐3‐carboxaldehyde (8a), but in poor yield. Cyclizations of the aldehydes 8a‐d,f,h or the ketone 4g with polyphosphoric acid afforded the benzo[g]quinolines 10a‐d,f‐h in high yields. Aldehyde 8e was cyclized to 10e using a solution of sulfuric acid in methanol. Several of the benzo[g]quinolines 10c,d could be readly converted into the benzo[q]quinoline‐5,10‐diones 11c,d on treatment with ammonium ceric nitrate.