SYNTHESIS OF 15H-ISOQUINO[2′,3′:3,4]IMIDAZO[2,1-B]QUINAZOLINE-7,13,15-TRIONES AND 14H-ISOQUINO[2′,3′:3,4]IMIDAZO[2,1-B]BENZO[G]QUINAZOLINE-8,14,16-TRIONE AS NEW POLYCYCLIC FUSED-RING SYSTEMS

3-Thioxo-2H-imidazo[1,5-b]isoquinoline-1,5-dione (3) and 2-sub-stituted 3-thioxo-2H-imidazo[1,5-b]isoquinoline-1,5-diones (4a–l) were prepared from the reaction of 2-thiohydantoin (2) and 3-substituted 2-thiohydantoin (5a–l) with 2-formyl benzoic acid (1). Alkylation of 3 under an anhydrous basic conditions afforded 4a–i. The alkylation of 3 in aqueous basic solution afforded 3-(alkylmercapto)imidazo[1,5-b]isoquinoline-1,5-diones (7a,b). Reactions of the aromatic amino acids 9a,b and 12 with 7a afforded 2-(2H-1,5 dioxoimidazo[1,5-b]isoquinazolin-3-ylideneamino)benzoic acids (10a, b) and 3-(2H-1,5-dioxoimidazo[1,5-b]isoquinazolin-3-ylideneamino)2-naphthalenecarboxylic acid (13), which were then cyclyzed by heating in acetic anhydride to afford 15H-isoquino[2′,3′ :3,4] imidazo[2,1-b]quinazoline-7,13,15-triones (11a,b) and 14H-isoquino[2′,3′:3,4]imidazo[2,1-b]benzo[g]quinazoline-8,14,16-trione (14). Some of the new compounds were tested for their antitumor activities.