Synthesis and cardiovascular properties of salsolidine derivatives

Derivatives of 6,7-dihydroxyisoquinoline (I) have frequently been the subjects of study in the search for cardiovascular drugs [1-5]. A number of compounds with spasmolytic, vasodilating, antianginal, and hypotensive activity carry from one to three aromatic (or heteroaromatic) rings with 6-~-electron systems which often contain electron-donor substituents (HO, CHaO, CH3), and less frequently halogens, a fairly long aikyl chain, the same groups or fragments on one or both ends of the extended molecule, or one or two basic nitrogen atoms. This combination of structural features is well exemplified by ditrimine and lidoflazine [2]. Other compounds (verapamil, ganglerone, dilazol, difril, nafiverin, phenbutazine, cinnarizine, etc.) [i, 2] also possess one or other of the structural features listed above.