A New Modification of the Pomeranz-Fritsch Reaction

Pomeranz-Fritsch reaction is a well known strategy to generate isoquinoline nucleus, despite its drawbacks. It is a substrate dependent reaction and alkoxylated substrates may react in particular ways producing undesired products. Depending on alkoxy group position cyclization rate is reduced and intermolecular reactions, solvolysis or ether deprotection begin to occur. Some modifications of the original procedure were introduced in the past by Bobbit 1 and Jackson 2 but, although they improved the yield for most of substrates, these variants still show dependence on pattern substitution.