Microwave-Assisted, Multicomponent, Ecofriendly Synthesis of 3-Bihetaryl-2-oxindole Derivatives Grafted with Phenothiazine Moiety

A series of 3-(3-pyrrolyl)-2-oxindoles incorporating the phenothiazine moiety has been synthesized under both conventional and microwave heating conditions via multicomponent reaction of 3-(2-(phenothiazin-2-yl)-2-oxoethylidene)-2-oxindole derivatives, acyclic and cyclic 1,3-dicarbonyl compounds, and ammonium acetate. The resulting 2-oxindole derivatives underwent selective chloroacetylation at both the oxindole and the phenothiazine NH groups. Treatment of the dichloroacetylated compound with 2mol of sodium azide in acetone under reflux gave the corresponding monoazide with concomitant dechloroacetylation of the N-chloroacetyl group of the oxindole ring. Huisgen 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition of the resulted alkyl azide with diethyl acetylene-dicarboxylate afforded the corresponding triazole derivative in good yield. Furthermore, the dichloroacetylated compound could be easily cyclized into 4-(3-oxo-2,3-dihydroxazolo[3,2-a]indol-9-yl)-1H-pyrrole-3-carboxylate derivative by treatment with sodium hydride in dry toluene. The yields and rate of reactions significantly improved under microwave heating conditions.