An attempt to synthesize APHE-3 (3-methylpyrazolo[1,5-b]isoquinolin-9(1H)-o
ne 3) gave the tautomer 3-methylpyrazolol[1,5-b]isoquinoiin-9(4H)-one (9) i
nstead, and led to a reconsideration of the structures assigned to the APHE
s. The structures of the APHEs have now been reformulated as 15-18, known n
atural products, whose spectra are in close agreement with those reported f
or the APHEs. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.