Microwave-Assisted, Solvent-Free Synthesis of Several Quinazoline Alkaloid Frameworks

Abstract

Microwave irradiation leads to a considerable improvement of the cyclocondensation between anthranilic acid and lactim ethers derived from piperazine-2,5-diones in terms of reaction times, yields, and stereocenter integrity. This reaction has been used to prepare some derivatives of the pyrazino[2,1-b]quinazoline-3,6-dione system present in many quinazoline alkaloids. It could also be applied to the synthesis of compounds containing the complete hexacyclic ring system of the anti-MDR natural product N-acetyl¬ardeemin, and other comprising the pentacyclic framework of circumdatin E. The microwave-assisted reaction was also much better than the thermal one when applied to a bis-lactim ether, leading to the corresponding pentacyclic pyrazino[2,1-b:5,4-b′]diquinazoline-8,16-dione in excellent yield.