Naphthyridine chemistry: Ring enlargement to a pyrido[2,3-b] azepine

The boron trifluoride-catalyzed rearrangement of the epoxide derived from 3-benzylidene- 7-methyl-2,3-dihydro-1,8-naphthyridin-4-(1H)one (II) is described. The structure of the obtained 8-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,4-tetrahydro-5H-pyrido[2,3,-b]-azepin-3, azepin-3,5-dione (X) has been elucidated with aid of chemical and spectral evidence.