TAN Shanlun1,2, ZANG Chengxu2, DAI Li2, HUANG Jinghua3, ZHANG Dazhi1,2*
2015, 46(2): 123-126.
Nitidine chloride was synthesized from 4-(benzo[d][1,3]dioxol-5-yl)-2-(3,4-dimethoxyphenyl)-4- oxobutanenitrile via hydrolysis and reduction to give 4-(benzo[1,3]dioxol-5-yl)-2-(3,4-dimethoxyphenyl)butanoic acid, subsequent Friedel-Crafts cyclization, Leuckart reaction, and cyclization to obtain 2,3-methylenedioxy-8,9-dimethoxy- 4b,10b,11,12-tetrahydrobenzo[5,6-c]phenanthridine, which was subjected to aromatization with Pd/C, followed by methylation with dimethyl sulfate and salt exchange with sodium chloride. The total yield was 2.5% in the optimized process, all the reaction conditions were mild, and the reagents were cheap and commercial available.