Aza-cyclophanes

Recently, creativity in chromogenic macrocycle synthesis has expanded. New spherand species have been synthesized that act as highly preorganized chromogenic-specific indicators for Li+ and Na (Cram et al., 1985), and an azophenol dye has been prepared with perfect selectivity for Li (Kaneda et al., 1985). Many of these chromogenic macrocycles and more complicated species such as the hemispherands and cryptohemispherands have found commercial use for Na and K assays in body fluids (see 41) (Helgeson et al., 1989 Czech et al., 1990). 

---

The photorearrangement of 7V-aryl lactams 34 to the ortho-position offers an interesting possibility for the preparation of cyclic benzo-aza-ketones of type 35, whereas the rearrangement to the para-position should lead to para-cyclophane 144 formation. 7-, 8-, and 13-Membered ring jV-aryl lactams (34, n = 5, 6, and 11) were successfully rearranged in ethanol to 35 in chemical yields of 60, 83, and 80%,13 and in quantum yields of 0.071, 0.11, and 0.082, respectively.14... 

Fused carbazoles related to pyrido[4,3-6]carbazole alkaloids were prepared by a Diels-Alder route, and a 3-aza bioisostere of the antitumor alkaloid olivacine was synthesized <02CPB1479>. Indoloid [3.3]cyclophane 40a gave the pentacyclic indoloid 41a upon heating <02OL127>. This led to a concise formal total synthesis of ( )-strychnine in 12 facile steps from tryptamine when a similar transannular inverse-electron-demand Diels-Alder reaction of indoloid [3.3]cyclophane 40b gave 41b <02AG(E)3261>. 

These early studies led to our initial interest in cyclophanes and macropolycyclic compounds of the aza-crown ether type [5] which has developed into the research described in this paper. 

---