SYNTHESIS AND BEHAVIOR OF FURO[2,3,4-K,L]ACRIDINES AND FURO[2,3,4-K,L]PYRANO[3,2-H]ACRIDINES

From noracronycine and 1-hydroxy-3-methoxy-10-methylacridone, a [2,3,4 -k,l] fused furan ring bearing an ethoxycarbonyl group was built up. A midification of this ester function with N,N-dimethylaminoalkylamines allowed us to prepare watersoluble furo[2,3,4-k,l]pyrano[3,2-h]acridin e and furo[2,3,4-k,I]acridine derivatives. In the course of attempts t o saponify the ester function under aqueous sodium hydroxide basic con ditions and to reduce it upon aluminium hydride, an abnormal ring open ing reaction of the ethoxycarbonylated furan was ascertained.