Paullone isomers are known as inhibitors of tubulin polymerase and cyclin dependent kinases (Cdks), which are potential targets for cancer chemotherapy. Herein we report an efficient and clean pathway to the fourth isomer, which remained elusive so far, namely 7,8-dihydroindolo[2,3-d][1]benzazepin-6(5H)-one. Moreover, we demonstrate the generality of our pathway by synthesizing two closely related analogues, one containing a bromo substituent and the other one incorporating an 8-membered instead of a 7-membered ring. The key transformation in this four-step synthesis, with an overall yield of 29%, is the Fischer indole reaction of 2-nitrophenylacetyl acetoacetate with 1-benzyl-1-phenylhydrazine in acetic acid that delivers methyl 2-(1-benzyl-3-(2-nitrophenyl)-1H-indol-2-yl)acetate in 55% yield.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.