Some Reactions of 3-Chloroisoindolium Salts with Nucleophiles: Access to Isoindole Derivatives and Ellipticine Analogues as Potential Antiviral Agents

Abstract

3-Chloro-2-substituted-1-oxoisoindolium hexachloroantimonate (1) reacted with water, ethanol and dimethyl-cyanamide to give the corresponding phthalimide derivatives 2, 3 and 4 respectively. Reaction of 1a with nitriles afforded the intermediate 2-azoniaallene salts 5 which underwent cyclisation reaction upon heating to furnish the ellipticine analogues 6. The biological activities of 6a–e against HIV-1 and HBV viruses were determined.