Hydrazides reaction with keto esters

A piridazine ring forms the nucleus for a rather unusual nontricyclic antidepre.ssant. Condensation of the keto ester 136 with hydrazine leads to the cyclic hydrazide 137. Oxidation, for example with bromine, gives the corresponding pyridazone 138. The oxygen is then replaced by chlorine by reaction with phosphorus oxychloride. Displacement of the halogen in 139 with N-ethylami-nomorpholine affords minaprine 140 [30]. 

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