Synthesis of the antitumoural agent batracylin and related isoindolo[1,2-b]quinazolin-12(10H)-ones

The synthesis of batracylin and related isoindolo[1,2-b]quinazolin-12-ones from easily accessible o-acylanilines is reported. The preparation of these tetracyclic compounds through a Mitsunobu reaction followed by spontaneous cyclodehydration shows the ability of this methodology to afford good yields of a wide variety of diversely 7, 8, 9, 10-substituted isoindoloquinazolinones in two steps.