title: Quinoline synthesis: scope and regiochemistry of photocyclisation of substituted benzylidenecyclopentanone O-alkyl and O-acetyloximes.
abstract: Irradiation of substituted 2-benzylidenecyclopentanone O-alkyl and O-acetyloximes in methanol provides a convenient synthesis of alkyl, alkoxy, hydroxy, acetoxy, amino, dimethylamino and benzo substituted annulated quinolines. para-Substituents yield 6-substituted-2,3-dihydro-1H-cyclopenta[b]quinolines with 8-substituted products being obtained from ortho-substituted starting materials. Reactions of meta-substituted precursors are highly regioselective, with alkyl substituents leading to 5-substituted 2,3-dihydro-1H-cyclopenta[b]quinolines and more strongly electron-donating substituents generally resulting in 7-substituted products. 2-Furylmethylene and 2-thienylmethylene analogues yield annulated furo- and thieno-[2,3e]pyridines respectively. Sequential E- to Z-benzylidene group isomerisation and six pi-electron cyclisation steps result in formation of a short-lived dihydroquinoline intermediate which spontaneously aromatises by elimination of an alcohol or acetic acid. For 2-benzylidenecyclopentanone O-allyloxime, singlet excited states are involved in both steps.
authors.affiliation: School of Chemical Sciences, Dublin City University, Dublin 9, Ireland.
authors.forename: Mark
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Austin
authors.forename: Oliver J
authors.initials: OJ
authors.lastname: Egan
authors.forename: Raymond
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Tully
authors.forename: Albert C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Pratt
mesh_terms: D003500:Cyclization; D009682:Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy; D010091:Oximes / Q000737:chemistry*; D011804:Quinolines / Q000138:chemical synthesis*; D013237:Stereoisomerism
chemical_list: D010091:Oximes; D011804:Quinolines