ChemInform Abstract: Cyclizations of 2-(o-Bromomethyl)benzylidene-1,3-indandione Initiated by 1-Benzyl-1,4-dihydronicotinamide and KCN: Selectivity of O-Alkylation and C-Alkylation

1-Benzyl-1, 4-dihydronicotinamide (1) and KCN reacted with 2-(o-bromomethyl)-benzylidene-1, 3-indandione (2) to give 7, 12-dihydro-1-oxoindeno[3, 2-c][2]benzooxepine (3) and 1′-cyano-3′-hydro-2, 2′-spirobi[2H-indene]-1, 3-dione (4), respectively, and the selectivity of O-alkylation and C-alkylation is discussed.