General one-pot, three-step methodology leading to an extended class of N-heterocyclic cations: Spontaneous nucleophilic addition, cyclization, and hydride loss

The discovery of one-pot, three-step system involving the reaction of a range of primary amines with 2-bromoethyl-phenanthridinium bromide and leading to an unprecedented class of dihydro-imidazo-phenanthridinium (DIP) compounds, which exhibit DNA affinity and high cytotoxic activity is reported. A methodology is developed by means of a biphasic system using N-bromosuccinimide as a co-oxidizing agent and it has also been extended to other N-heterocyclic cation derivatives such as quinolinium and quinazolinium.