Diastereoselective Synthesis of Dihydroisoindolo[2,1-a]quinolin-11-ones by Solvent-Free AMCell-SO3H-Catalyzed Imino Diels–Alder/Intramolecular Amide Cyclization Cascade Reactions

Nineteen bioactive highly functionalized 6,6a-dihydroisoindolo[2,1-a]quinolin-11(5H)-one derivatives were easily prepared in good yield without solvent using catalytic amorphous milled cellulose sulfonic acid (AMCell-SO3H), substituted anilines, propenyl-phenols, and phthaldehydic acid. The cascade reaction gave high regioselectivity and diastereoselectivity.