NOVEL ROUTE TO FUSED NITROGEN-HETEROCYCLES BY OLEFIN METATHESIS

A novel technique for the efficient synthesis of fused nitrogen hetero cycles has been developed that features the molybdenum alkylidene-cata lyzed metathesis of alpha,omega-dienes containing a nitrogen atom in t he chain linking the two olefinic functional groups. The starting mate rials may be readily prepared in three steps from succinimide and glut arimide via sequential Mitsunobu alkylation, sodium borohydride reduct ion, and addition of a vinyl cuprate to an N-acyliminium salt generate d in situ.