Hieu H. Truong

A series of 4,5-dibromo-2-(4-substituted phenyl)hexahydro-3a,6-epoxyisoindol-1(4H)-ones were synthesized by reaction of the corresponding 2-(4-substituted phenyl)-2,3,7,7a-tetrahydro-3a,6-epoxyisoindol-1(6H)-ones with [(Me₂NCOMe)₂H]Br₃ in dry chloroform under reflux for 3−5 h. In contrast to the 4-F and 4-Cl substituents, one of the bromine atoms of the isoindole moiety behaves as a halogen bond donor in the formation of intermolecular halogen bonding in the 4-H, 4-Br and 4-I analogues. Not only intermolecular hydrogen bonds, but also Ha⋯Ha and Ha⋯π types of halogen bonds in the 4-H, 4-Br, and 4-I compounds, contribute to the formation of supramolecular architectures leading to 2D or 3D structures.

An unexpected four-step reaction sequence was discovered in the course of investigation of the interaction between 3-(furan-2-yl)allylamines and bromomaleic anhydride. This conversion begins with the initial N-acylation of the allylamines by the anhydride, followed by intramolecular Diels–Alder reaction, which is accompanied by a dehydrohalogenation, and ends with the formation of partially unsaturated furo[2,3-f]isoindoles followed by transposition of aromaticity from the furan moiety to the neighboring cyclohexane ring. The reaction between 3-(furan-3-yl)allylamines and bromomaleic anhydride does not stop at a furo[2,3-f]isoindole formation step, but proceeds further with the cleavage of the furan ring in a 100% atom-efficient fashion to provide polysubstituted isoindoline-4-carboxylic acids.