An efficient and facile synthesis of new tetracyclic fused pyrazolo[4,3-c][1,2,4]triazino[4,5-a]quinolin-4(5H)-ones.

Reaction of amidrazones 1a-1i with (1,5-dihydro-3-methyl-5-oxo-1-phenyl-4H-pyrazol-4-ylidene)propanedinitrile (2) in ethyl acetate solution in one-step reaction led to the formation of unprecedented pyrazolo[4,3-c][1,2,4]triazino[4,5-a]quinolin-4(5H)-ones 3a-3g along with pyrazolo[4,3-c][1,2,4]triazino[4,5-a]quinolin-12b-oles 3h-3m in moderate to excellent yields. These novel heterocycles were formed via a Michael addition reaction followed by intramolecular cyclization via a dearomatization process.