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The base-initiated alkylation of the abundant natural dye indigo 1 with ring-strained electrophiles results in the unprecedented, one-pot synthesis of functionalised dihydropyrazino[1,2-a:4,3-a']diindoles, dihydroepoxy[1,5]oxazocino[5,4-a:3,2-b']diindoles, and dihydrodiazepino[1,2-a:4,3-a']diindoles, resulting from intramolecular ring opening-expansion cyclisation processes of their parent oxiranes and aziridines. Regiochemical and stereochemical aspects of the reactions are reported together with integrated mechanistic proposals. This new indigo cascade chemistry should have broad applicability in the synthesis of chemical architectures, not readily-accessible by other means. The three-step synthesis of the useful synthetic precursor (R)-2-(chloromethyl)-1-tosylaziridine 14 is also described. Initial biological activity investigations into these new 2,2'-dindolyl-based heterocyclic derivatives revealed potent, selective antiplasmodial activity in vitro for several isolated structures, with IC50 values as low as 76.6 nM for (±)-8, while demonstrating low human cell toxicity.

The base-induced propargylation of the dye indigo results in the rapid and unprecedented one-pot synthesis of highly functionalized representatives of the pyrazino[1,2-a:4,3-a']diindole, pyrido[1,2-a:3,4-b']diindole and benzo[b]indolo[1,2-h]naphthyridine heterocyclic systems, with the last two reflecting the core skeleton of the anticancer/antiplasmodial marine natural products fascaplysin and homofascaplysins and a ring B-homologue, respectively. The polycyclic compounds 6-8, whose structures were confirmed through single-crystal X-ray crystallographic analysis, arise from sequential inter/intramolecular substitution-addition reactions, and in some cases, ring rearrangement reactions. Preliminary studies on controlling the reaction path selectivity, and the potential reaction mechanisms, are also described. Initial biological activity studies with these new heterocyclic derivatives indicated promising in vitro antiplasmodial activity as well as good anticancer activity. The chemistry described is new for the indigo moiety and cascade reactions from this readily available and cheap starting material should be more broadly applicable in the synthesis of additional new heterocyclic systems difficult to access by other means.

To further expand the structure–cytotoxic activity relationships of isatin derivatives and to reduce flexibility in substituent groups at nitrogen, 20 analogues incorporating a ring system between the N1 and C7 atoms of isatin were prepared using a variety of synthetic strategies. This yielded pyrroloindole-, pyrroloquinoline-, pyrroloacridine-, pyrrolophenanthridine- and benzopyrrolophenanthridine-based systems with embedded isatin moieties, the latter possessing a novel carbon skeleton. These compounds were subsequently assessed for their in vitro cytotoxicity against human U937 lymphoma cells, with the brominated pyrroloacridine dione 27 showing the most promising activity (IC50 3.01 μM) after 24 h.

The compact synthesis of a new ring fused benzo[b]thieno derivative with an embedded nine-membered ring system via ring closing metathesis methodology is described. The preparation of the novel 11H-benzo[b]thieno[2,3-c]pyrrolo[2,3-a]indol-11-one via palladium-mediated oxidative cyclisation of benzo[b]thien-2-oyl indole derivatives is also reported.

A range of substituted N-alkylisatins were synthesized and their cytotoxicity evaluated against several cancer cell lines in vitro. SAR studies indicated that the introduction of an aromatic ring with a one or three carbon atom linker at N1 enhanced the activity from that of the allyl, 2'-methoxyethyl, and 3'-methylbutyl N-substituted isatins. Furthermore, electron-withdrawing groups substituted at the meta or para position of the ring were favored over the ortho orientation. Of the 24 compounds screened, nine displayed sub-micromolar IC50 values and in general demonstrated greater selectivity toward leukemia and lymphoma cell lines over any of the carcinoma cell lines tested. 5,7-Dibromo-N-(p-methylbenzyl)isatin (6) was the most active compound, inhibiting the metabolic activity of both U937 and Jurkat cancer cell lines at 0.49 muM. Various N-alkylisatins were also found to dramatically alter lymphocyte morphology, destabilize microtubules, inhibit tubulin polymerization, induce G2/M cell cycle arrest, and activate the effector caspase-3 and -7.

Ring distorted 3-aza[5] and 3-aza[6](1,7)naphthalenophanes have been shown to undergo ready Diels-Alder cycloaddition reactions with 4-phenyl-1,2,4-triazoline-3,5-dione, tetracyanoethylene, 1,1-dicyanoethylene and 1,1-diethyl methylenemalonate to form new functionalized polycyclic heterocyclic derivatives. Addition was shown to occur selectively in each case in the less substituted aromatic ring of the naphthalene moiety.

A versatile route to indolo[2,1-d][1,5]benzodiazocine derivatives has been developed based on a free radical cyclization approach from 1-substituted indole derivatives with appropriately positioned haloacetamide functionalities. Fair yields of the indole- and dihydroindole-fused eight-membered ring derivatives were obtained from N-substituted iodo- and bromoacetamide precursors. Synthetic and mechanistic aspects of the regiospecific cyclization are discussed.

A method is described to convert 3D patterns of pharmacophoric groups into 2D queries for molecular substructure searches of the Chemical Abstracts database with SciFinder Scholar ® . The results of such searches and the options for refinement of the hit lists are presented using a rigid tetrahydroisoquinoline-carbazole (IQC) hybrid molecule fitted onto previously developed pharmacophores for subtype-selective α 1 -adrenergic receptor antagonists as an example. The compounds retrieved were further analysed by limiting their physical properties to ‘drug-like’ ranges and by enumerating the ring skeletons they contain. Selected ring skeletons were evaluated by fitting them on to the original pharmacophores. Several structurally novel rigid ring skeletons were found with this new database mining technique which are potentially useful as leads in the design of α 1B selective adrenergic receptor antagonists.

Thermolysis of 3-t-butyldimethylsiloxy-8-methyl-8-azabicyclo[3.2.1]oct-6-ene N-oxide (11) and (12) in butyronitrile gave 3-t-butyldimethylsiloxy-9-methyl-8-oxa-9-azabicyclo[3.2.2]non-6-ene (13) which upon reductive NO ring cleavage, hydrogenation, oxidation and deprotection yielded the 3-hydroxy analogue 8-methyl-8-azabicyclo[3.2.1]octane-1,3-diol ( 6a lrhar2 6b ) of the tropane alkaloid physoperuvine.

Thermolysis of the 1-(2′-phenylcyclopropyl)tetrahydroisoquinoline N-oxide derivative 3b in butyronitrile/mesitylene gave the 1,3,4,5-tetrahydro-2,3-benzoxazepine derivative 4b and the 2,3,5,6-tetrahydro-10,11-dimethoxy-3-methyl-5-phenyl-1H-4,3-benzoxazecine 5b, the first representative of the 4,3-benzoxazecine system, in low yield. The structure of 5b was confirmed by X-ray crystallography. Thermolysis of the 1-cyclopropyltetrahydroisoquinoline N-oxide derivative 3a gave only the 2,3-benzoxazepine derivative 4a.

Thermolysis of 3-t-butyldimethylsiloxy-8-methyl-8-azabicyclo[3.2.1]oct-6-ene N-oxide (11) and (12) in butyronitrile gave 3-t-butyldimethylsiloxy-9-methyl-8-oxa-9-azabicyclo[3.2.2]non-6-ene (13) which upon reductive NO ring cleavage, hydrogenation, oxidation and deprotection yielded the 3-hydroxy analogue 8-methyl-8-azabicyclo[3.2.1]octane-1,3-diol ( 6a lrhar2 6b ) of the tropane alkaloid physoperuvine.

Azepines and their benz-fused derivatives have commanded a considerable amount of synthetic interest. This is particularly true of the latter systems because of their continuing pharmacological significance. Ring synthesis by ring construction is the dominant general approach, although a number of new ring transformation strategies have been developed. Amongst the ring construction strategies a flowering of methods based on ring closing metathesis is evident for type c and type d processes. There is scope also for extension of this methodology to type b processes. A novel zirconium-mediated approach to substituted azepanes has been described and this reaction has considerable further synthetic potential. The synthetic power of sequential reactions has also been demonstrated, for example in the synthesis of tetrahydro-1H-1-benzazepine derivatives. A single crystal X-ray structure of the first reported 2-azatropone is also a significant development.

The 1,3-oxazepines and 1,3-thiazepines and their benz-fused derivatives have attracted some synthetic interest. Ring synthesis by ring construction is still an important avenue to these heterocycles. Typical of this approach are C–C bond formations to complete the heterocyclic ring using palladium-based methodology or metal complex-mediated ring closing metathesis to benz-fused oxazepines. There is much scope for extension of these metal-ion based ring cyclization approaches to oxazepines. The formation of C–O and C–S bonds underpin other cyclization approaches to 1,3-oxazepines and thiazepines respectively. The first route to a 1,3-selenazepane derivative was also described with ring cyclization after amine addition to a isoselenocyanate precursor. The Baeyer–Villiger ring expansion reaction still attracts some research attention, while other ring expansion methodologies to 1,3-oxazepines have been described, including a potentially adaptable insertion approach in 1,2-oxazines involving a cobalt carbonyl complex and carbon monoxide. This insertion reaction has considerable potential for further chemical and pharmacological exploration of this structural space.

Reaction of primary aromatic amines with peroxidic tetrahydrofuran (THF) in the presence of hydrogen and 10% palladium on carbon catalyst results in THF ring opening to give 4-N-arylamino-1-butanols in good yield. The reaction mechanism is believed to involve a free-radical sequence resulting in an imino alcohol subsequently reduced to product.

Publisher Summary This chapter describes seven-membered ring heteroatoms, with an emphasis on nitrogen, oxygen and sulfur. Systems of pharmacological interest or significance, and on future directions, are also discussed. While activity in this particular area has not been especially high, a number of interesting preparations and reactions are described in the chapter. A study of the rearrangement-ring expansion and rearrangement-ring opening reactions of stereoisomeric tetrahydropyrans with zinc acetate has been undertaken—for example, the oxepane 113 was obtained from 112 in moderate yield, together with a small amount of the ring opened product 114. The first total synthesis of the marine natural product (+)-rogioloxepane A containing a reduced oxepine ring has also been reported. New conditions for the Baeyer–Villiger oxidation continue to be explored including selenium-catalyzed oxidation with aqueous hydrogen peroxide and tin–zeolite as a chemoselective heterogeneous catalyst.

Concise synthetic routes to 2H-benzo[b]thieno[3,2-b][1,5]oxazocin-6(3H)-one, and the new benzo[b]thieno[3,2-b][1,5]oxazonin-7(2H)-one and 2H-benzo[b]thieno[3,2-b][1,5]oxazecin-8(3H)-one systems, have been developed based on intramolecular nucleophilic displacement in the key ring forming step.

10-Phenyl-4,5,6,7,8,10-hexahydrothieno[3,2-g][1,4]oxazonine-6-carbonitrile (6a) and 11-phenyl-4,6,7,8,9,11-hexahydro-5H-thieno[3,2-h][1,5]oxazecine-6-carbonitrile (7a) were prepared in moderate yields by cyanogen bromide-induced ring expansion of tetrahydrothieno [2,3- c] pyridinylalkanol precursors (4a) and (5a), respectively. 1-Phenyl-1,3,4,5,6,7-hexahydro[1]- benzothieno [3,2-g][1,4]oxazonine-5-carbonitrile (6b) and 1-phenyl-3,4,5,6,7,8-hexahydro-1H- [1] benzothieno [3,2-h][1,5]oxazecine-6-carbonitrie (7b) were similarly prepared from the [1] benzothieno [2,3-c] pyridinylalkanol precursors (4b) and (5b). The medium-ring cyanamides (6b) and (7b) were converted by standard methods into their N-methyl analogues (8b) and (9b). 6-Methyl-8-phenyl-4,5,6,8-tetrahydrothieno[3,2-e][1,2] oxazepine (13) was prepared by thermal Meisenheimer rearrangement of the corresponding tertiary amine N-oxide (12). The compounds (6a, b), (7a, b) and (13) are each the first reported examples of new heterocyclic systems. The crystal and molecular structure of (6b) has been determined by X-ray crystallographic methods.

Four 5-aryl-2,3-dihydro-1,4-benzoxazepines (5a-d), with electron-releasing substituents, were prepared by a Bischler-Napieralski-type reaction of N-(2-aryloxyethyl)benzamides with phosphorus oxychloride in butanenitrile or ethanenitrile. Analogous 2,3-dihydro-1,4-benzoxazepines (12a, b), with hydrogen only or a chlorine substituent in the fused aromatic ring, were prepared by C-N ring-closure reactions. Cyclization of a dilute solution of N-[3-(3-methoxyphenoxy)propyl]benzamide (21) with phosphorus oxychloride in ethanenitrile gave a 40% yield of 9-methoxy-6-phenyl-3,4-dihydro- 2H-1,5-benzoxazocine (22). The seven- and eight-membered cyclic imines were converted into their methiodide salts (6a-d), (15a,b) and (24). These were reduced with sodium tetrahydroborate to yield the 5-aryl-4-methyl-2,3,4,5-tetrahydro-1,4-benzoxazepines (7a-d) and (l6a,b), and the 9-methoxy- 5-methyl-6-phenyl-3,4,5,6-tetrahydro-2H-1,5-benzoxazocine (25). These products were prepared for use as starting materials in ring-expansion reactions through the Meisenheimer rearrangement.

During attempts to prepare 9,10-dimethoxy-4,7,12,12a-tetrahydro-5H- benzo [g] thieno [3,2-a] quinolizine (1), and subsequent cyanogen bromide- induced ring cleavage of this tetracyclic base, two by-products were isolated. The preparations of these two compounds are described, and their structures elucidated as 8,9-dimethoxy-1,2,3,6,11,11a-hexahydrobenzo [5,6] cyclohepta [1,2,3-cd] thieno [3,2-c]pyridine (5a), and its 1-carbonitrile derivative (5b). An N-methyl derivative (5c) has been prepared from (5a). These products (5) are the first examples of a new heterocyclic system. The crystal and molecular structure of the cyanamide (5b) has been determined by X-ray crystallographic methods.

The new heterocyclic derivatives 3-methyl-1-phenyl-3,4,5,10-tetrahydro- 1H-[1,2]oxazepino[6,5-b]-indole (5c), 6-methyl-4-phenyl-4,6,7,8- tetrahydrothieno[2,3-e][1,2]oxazepine (6f), and 3-methyl-1-phenyl- 1,3,4,5-tetrahydro[1]benzothieno[3,2-e][1,2]oxazepine (7c) were prepared in good yield by thermal Meisenheimer rearrangement of the corresponding tertiary amine N-oxide precursors. No such rearrangement occurred on heating the N-oxides of the fused bicyclic systems 2,3,11,12-tetramethoxy-5,8,9,13b-tetrahydro-6H-dibenzo[a,h]quinolizine (3) and 8,9-dimethoxy-1,2,3,5,6,10b-hexahydropyrrolo[2,1-a]isoquinoline (4). The reduction of (5c), (6f) and (7c) with zinc in acetic acid is also described.

Meisenheimer rearrangement of the N-oxides (4) derived from a series of 5-aryl-4-methyl-2,3,4,5-tetrahydro-1,4-benzoxazepines (3) gave rise to eight derivatives (5) of the new 2H,6H-1,5,4-benzodioxazocine ring system. Reaction of 9-methoxy-5-methyl-6-phenyl-3,4,5,6- tetrahydro-2H-1,5-benzoxazocine (6) with 3-chloroperoxybenzoic acid gave an unstable N-oxide (7). A Meisenheimer rearrangement product from (7), 10-methoxy-5-methyl-7-phenyl-2,3,4,5-tetrahydro-7 H-1,6,5- benzodioxazonine (8), the first example of this ring system, was isolated directly in moderate yield on oxidation of (6) with cooling. The crystal and molecular structure of (8) has been determined by X-ray crystallographic methods.

The title compounds are 3-aza[6](1,7)-naphthalenophanes with 3-Me and 3-CO2Me substituents, C18H23NO2 and C19H23NO4; in the former the chemical shift of the naphthalene hydrogen enclosed by the medium nitrogen-containing ring is the highest yet observed in a derivative of this type ( σ 9.33). In order to examine the environment of this hydrogen atom and the expected associated naphthalene ring distortions in both compounds, single-crystal X-ray structure determinations have been carried out at 295 K showing the transannular H…N distance in the methyl derivative to be remarkably short at 2.08(2) � . Crystals are triclinic, P1, a 11.683(3), b 10.846(3), c 6.729(2) �, α 90.08(2), β 93.33(2), γ 112.88 Z 2; R was 0.041 for 1378 'observed' reflections. Crystals of the 3-CO2Me derivative are also triclinic, P1, a 12.587(9), b 10.650(4), c 6.758(3) � , a 91.91(3), β 100.51(4), γ 104.74(5)° Z 2; R 0.067 for 1267 'observed' reflections.

4-Phenyl-4,6,7,8,9,10-hexahydrothieno[2,3-g][1,4]oxazonine-8-carbonitrile (5a) and the analogous 4-phenyl-6,7,8,9,10,11-hexahydro-4H-thieno[2,3-h][1,5]oxazecine-9-carbonitrile (5b) were preparedin moderate yields by cyanogen bromide-induced ring expansion of the appropriate ω-(tetrahydrothieno[3,2-c]pyridyl)alkan-1-ol precursors (3). N-Methyl derivatives of these new fused medium-ring heterocyclic systems were prepared by standard methods.

10-Phenyl-4,5,6,7,8,10-hexahydrothieno[3,2-g][1,4]oxazonine-6-carbonitrile (6a) and 11-phenyl-4,6,7,8,9,11-hexahydro-5H-thieno[3,2-h][1,5]oxazecine-6-carbonitrile (7a) were prepared in moderate yields by cyanogen bromide-induced ring expansion of tetrahydrothieno [2,3- c] pyridinylalkanol precursors (4a) and (5a), respectively. 1-Phenyl-1,3,4,5,6,7-hexahydro[1]- benzothieno [3,2-g][1,4]oxazonine-5-carbonitrile (6b) and 1-phenyl-3,4,5,6,7,8-hexahydro-1H- [1] benzothieno [3,2-h][1,5]oxazecine-6-carbonitrie (7b) were similarly prepared from the [1] benzothieno [2,3-c] pyridinylalkanol precursors (4b) and (5b). The medium-ring cyanamides (6b) and (7b) were converted by standard methods into their N-methyl analogues (8b) and (9b). 6-Methyl-8-phenyl-4,5,6,8-tetrahydrothieno[3,2-e][1,2] oxazepine (13) was prepared by thermal Meisenheimer rearrangement of the corresponding tertiary amine N-oxide (12). The compounds (6a, b), (7a, b) and (13) are each the first reported examples of new heterocyclic systems. The crystal and molecular structure of (6b) has been determined by X-ray crystallographic methods.

The preparation of the tetracyclic derivatives, (5) and (11), thienanalogues of the tetrahydroprotoberberine alkaloids, is described. Cyanogen bromide-induced water solvolysis of these isomeric compounds proceeded by different routes. 9,10-Dimethoxy-4,7,12,12a- tetrahydro-5H-benzo[g] thieno [3,2-a] quinolizine (11) under these conditions gave as the major product 4-(2-hydroxymethyl-4,5- dimethoxybenzyl )-4,5,6,7-tetrahydrothieno[3,2-c]pyridine-5- carbonitrile (12); no azecino derivatives were detected. By contrast such cleavage of 2,3-dimethoxy-5,8,12,12a-tetrahydro-6H- benzo [a] thieno [3,2-g] quinolizine (5) gave a major solvolytic ring- expanded product, 12-hydroxy-9,10-dimethoxy-4,5,6,7,12,13- hexahydrothieno [3,2-e][3]benzazecine-5-carbonitrile (15), and a minor elimination product, (E)-9,10-dimethoxy-4,5,6,7-tetrahydrothieno[3,2- e][3]benzazecine-5-carbonitrile (16). These last two compounds are examples of a new tricyclic ring system. From functional group interconversions of (15) was derived the N- methyl ketone (18), the first thieno analogue of the protopine alkaloid system. The crystal and molecular structure of this compound, 9,10-dimethoxy-5-methyl-4,5,6,7,12,13-hexahydrothieno[3,2-e][3] benzazecin - 12-one (18), has been determined by single-crystal X-ray methods.