A versatile synthesis of 2-substituted 4-amino-1,2,4,5-tetrahydro-2-benzazepine-3-ones

A mild and general strategy for the synthesis of 2-substituted 4-amino-1,2,4,5-tetrahydro-2-benzazepine-3-ones is described. The seven-membered lactam is prepared by intramolecular amide bond formation from the intermediate amino acid, which is obtained either by reductive alkylation of a variety of amines with N-Boc,N-Me-ortho-formyl-Phe and Phth-ortho-formyl-Phe, or by reductive amination of a variety of aldehydes with N-Boc-ortho-aminomethyl-Phe.