Anionic ring opening of norbornenes fused to heterocycles

The 2-hydroxy and 2-oxo derivatives of 1,2,3,4-tetrahydro-1,4-methanophenazine were prepared and found to evolve in basic media through the opening of their bicyclo[2.2.1]heptene moiety, affording 2,3-dihydro-1H-cyclopenta[b]quinoxaline derivatives with two-carbon 1-substituents that depend on the starting compound. In the case of 2-hydroxy starting compounds, ring-opening occurs regardless of the orientation of the hydroxyl group, and in methanolic solution is spontaneous, though slow, even in the absence of added base (at least in the case of the endo derivative). It is presumably favoured by the steric strain of the heteroaryl-fused bicyclo[2.2.1]heptene moiety, and is hypothesized to involve the base-promoted formation of anionic intermediates that are stabilized by the π-deficient nature of the quinoxaline system.