Photochemical synthesis of benzoxazolo[3,2-b]isoquinolin-11-one and isoquinolino[3,2-b][1,3]benzoxazin-11-one under basic conditions

Irradiation of N-phenyl substituted isoquinolines in acetonitrile containing 1 M NaOH in a multilamp reactor (MLR) furnished benzoxazolo[3,2-b]isoquinolin-11-ones. In contrast, irradiation of the N-benzyl substituted isoquinoline derivative under the same conditions afforded the hydrolysed N-benzylbenzamide derivative. The isoquinolinobenzoxazine was obtained by irradiating the N-benzyl substituted isoquinoline derivative at higher basic conditions. The required isoquinolines were synthesized under solvent-free, solid supported microwave conditions.