Cross-copling reaction to access a library of eudesmane-type methylene lactones with quinoline or isoquinoline substituent

Abstract An efficient and simple protocol for the Heck reaction of accessible natural eudesmane-type methylene lactone isoalantolactone or its derivatives - 4,15-epoxyisoalantolactone, and 3-hydroxyisoalantolactone, with halosubstituted quinolines and isoquinolines using Pd(OAc)2 as the catalyst is presented. The reactions proceed well in dimethylformamide and TBAB in the absence of phosphine ligands. The structures of isoalantolactone-quinoline and isoalantolactone-isoquinoline hybrids were analyzed by mass spectrum, elemental analysis and NMR spectral studies. The crystal structure of new compounds was determined from single crystal X-ray diffraction data.