Facile synthesis of spiro[benzo[e]indole-2,2′-piperidine] derivatives and their transformation to novel fluorescent scaffolds

The reaction of azaheterocyclic enamines with acrylamide was employed for the preparation of novel fluorescent scaffolds possessing a benzo[e]indoline moiety. Reaction of 3-substituted 2-methylidene-1H-benzo[e]indole with acrylamide gave rise to spiro[benzo[e]indole-2,2′-piperidin]-6′-ones. Ring opening reactions of the latter spiro compounds were investigated. Benzo[e]indoline derivatives possessing 2-(3-carbamoylpropyl), 2-[3-(ethoxycarbonyl)propyl] and 2-(4-aminobutyl) side chains were synthesised. The optical properties of the benzo[e]indoline derivatives were studied by UV–vis and fluorescence spectroscopy.