The synthesis of vinylogous amidine heterocycles.

We report herein a convenient synthetic methodology for the conversion of meta-dinitro heterocyclic rings to iminoquinones with vinylogous amidine functionality. These structures are found in nature, particularly in marine organisms, and may be important for the pigments and biological activity observed with such marine secondary metabolites. Using benzimidazole and indole ring systems we show the versatility of these vinylogous amidines for organic synthesis, including the following: transamination substitution reactions with virtually any primary amine, regional control of the substitution with substituents between the vinylogous amidine, and hydrolytic properties that can be controlled or optimized based on the properties of the chosen ring system. Taken together, this versatile chemistry and functionalization of organic molecules may be useful in the preparation of a variety of chemical products such as drug pharmacophores or assembling macromolecular structures.