Stereochemistry of alkylated isoquinoline Reissert compounds

Abstract

A series of alkylated isoquinoline Reissert compounds (2-acyl-1-alkyl-1,2-dihydroisoquinoline-1-nitriles) with either 3-H (3) or 3-CH3 (4) substituents was examined by 1H, 13C, and 19F NMR spectroscopies and X-ray crystallography. In all cases the trans-amide conformation, with reference to the carbonyl oxygen and the 3-position of the isoquinoline ring, exists exclusively in the solid state, and predominates in solution. As expected the 1-alkyl groups (isopropyl, isobutyl, benzyl) are nearly pseudo-axial or axial in all cases. In N-aroyl compounds the larger ortho-aroyl substituent lies syn to the 1-alkyl moiety in nine of the 11 cases, as revealed by X-ray crystallographic studies. In solution NMR results show that atropisomerism about the Ar/CO bond is usually rapid at room temperature, but slow at −50 °C and usually favors the syn isomer. CH⋯π interactions of the 3-methyl protons of 4 with the N-aroyl moieties appear to influence the atropisomerism.