Addition reactions of nucleophiles to dibenzoylacetylene

Abstract

Several enamine diones have been prepared through the nucleophilic addition of different amines to dibenzoylacetylene (DBA). Thus, the reaction of aniline, piperidine, o-aminophenol and N-phenylbenzylamine with DBA gave the corresponding 1:1 adducts namely, 1,4 - diphenyl - 2 - (N - phenylamino)but - 2 - ene -1,4 - dione (1), 1,4 - diphenyl - 2 - piperidinobut - 2 - ene - 1,4 - dione (2), 2 - (N - 2 - hydroxyphenylamino)1,4 - diphenylbut - 2 -ene - 1,4 - dione (3) and 1,4 - diphenyl - 2 - (N - phenylbenzylamino)but - 2 - ene - 1,4 - dione (4). UV absorption data reveal that the adducts 1 and 3, formed from aniline and o-aminophenol, respectively, are the E-isomers, arising through a trans-mode of addition whereas the adducts 2 and 4, formed from piperidine and N-phenyl-benzylamine are the Z-isomers, formed through a cis-mode of addition. The reaction of N-phenaeylaniline with DBA gave 2,3 - dibenzoyl - 1,4 - diphenylpyrrole (5), whereas the reaction of 1,8 - diaminonaphthalene with DBA gave a mixture of products consisting of 2 - benzoyl - 2 - phenacyl -2,3 - dihydroperimidine (11) and 2 - benzoylperimidine (12). The reaction of 2-aminopyridine with DBA gave a mixture of two 1:1-adducts, 2 - (2 - imino - 1(2H) - pyridyl) - 1,4 - diphenylbut - 2 - ene - 1,4 - dione (14) and 1,4 -diphenyl - 2 - (N - 2 - pyridylamino)but - 2 - ene - 1,4 - dione (15).