Synthesis of bridged azabicycles from isoquinolines via a tandem of allylboration and intramolecular metathesis

A method for the synthesis of bridged azabicyclic compounds from isoquinolines was developed. The method is based on a combination of allylboration and ruthenium-catalyzed intramolecular metathesis. Reductive 1,3-diallylation of bromoisoquinolines with triallylborane gave trans-1,3-diallyl-1,2,3,4-tetrahydroisoquinolines. When heated with triallylborane, these compounds yielded mixtures of cis- and trans-isomers in the ratio similar to 1: 1. The structure of cis-1,3-diallyl-5-bromo-1,2,3,4-tetrahydroisoquinoline was confirmed by X-ray diffraction analysis. In a similar way, trans-3-allyl-1-vinyl-1,2,3,4-tetrahydroisoquinoline synthesized by sequential vinylation (with vinyllithium) and allylboration of isoquinoline, yielded a mixture of cis-and trans-isomers in the ratio 1.6: 1. Intramolecular metathesis reactions of N-Boc derivatives of cis-isomers in the presence of the Grubbs catalyst (2.0 - 2.5 mol.%) afforded 7,8-benzo-10-azabicyclo[4.3.1]dec-2-enes or 7,8-benzo-9-azabicyclo[3.3.1]non-2-ene in nearly quantitative yields.