A facile synthesis of bisquinoline derivatives via the Williamson reaction

Abstract

A series of new bisquinoline systems, ethyl 2-((quinolin-8-yloxy)methyl)quinoline-3-carboxylate derivatives (3a–i), were synthesized by Williamson reaction of ethyl 2-(halogenmethyl)quinoline-3-carboxylates (4a–c) with 8-hydroxyquinolines (5a–c) in CH3CN as solvent and in the presence of K2CO3 as base. Characterization of these bisquinoline compounds was primarily achieved by use of spectral data and X-ray crystallography. This procedure enables easy access to bisquinoline compounds in a short reaction time and the products are obtained in high yields.