o-Dibromoacetylbenzophenone, 2 or o-bromoacetylbenzophenone 3 reacted
with aqueous ammonia to produce 3-phenylisoindolin-1-one 5. The reacti
on of 3 with methylamine afforded 3-hydroxy-2-methyl-3-phenyl-isoindol
in-1-one 4 and 2-methyl-3-phenylisoindolin-1-one 5. Whereas from 2 wit
h methylamine only 5 was obtained.