Pictet Spengler-type reactions in 3-arylmethylpiperazine-2,5-diones. Synthesis of pyrazinotetrahydroisoquinolines

The behavior of aldehydes and acetals as N-alkylating agents of 1-acetyl-3-arylmethylpiperazine-2,5-diones and the subsequent cyclization of the N-alkylated products was studied. Use of paraformaldehyde in different reaction conditions gave 6-unsubstituted 3,6,11,11a-tetrahydro-2H-pyrazino[1,2-b]isoquinoline-1,4-diones and, in some cases, benzo[f]pyrazino[1,2-c]1,3-oxazepine-1,4-diones. Succesful reactions with benzaldehyde required a first activation of the lactam function and a catalyzed N-alkylation with the aldehyde dimethyl acetal. The isolated O,N-amidoacetals thus obtained were submitted to a diastereoselective Pictet Spengler-type reaction that worked with arenes at several degrees of ring activation and with thiophene to give 6-phenylpyrazinoisoquinolinediones and the corresponding thieno analog.