New insight into anionic cyclizations of alkynyl- and ortho-dialkynylarenes: a specific reactivity of 3-alkynyl-2-chloro- and 2,3-dialkynylquinoxalines and related compounds toward CH-acids' carbanions

The reactivity of 3-alkynyl-2-chloroquinoxalines, 2,3-dialkynylquinoxalines, and some related pyrazine derivatives toward carbanions of the CH-acids (malononitrile, ethyl cyanoacetate, diethyl malonate, 1,3-dimethylbarbituric acid) has been studied. Most of the observed reactions proceeded as tandem or cascade cyclizations yielding polynuclear heterocyclic compounds. The process starts with the addition of a nucleophile to an alkyne triple bond. Depending on the nature of the used C-nucleophile, the thus formed anionic adduct underwent further cyclization via (i) intramolecular nucleophilic substitution of the chlorine atom, (ii) intramolecular acylation of the ring nitrogen atom by the ester side chain or (iii) intramolecular nucleophilic attack on the second C C bond. Reactions of 3-alkyny1-2-chloro- and 2,3-dialkynylpyrazines with 1,3-dimethylbarbituric acid in the presence of t-BuOK were accompanied by recyclization of the 1,3-dimethylbarbituric acid moiety. (C) 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.