Synthesis of 2-aryl-1,2,3,4-tetrahydroquinazolin-1-ols and their conversion to 7-aryl-9H-6-oxa-5,8-diaza-benzocycloheptenes

2-Aminobenzylamine was reacted with corresponding aromatic or heteroaromatic aldehydes to give 1,2,3,4-tetrahydroquinazolines 1 the oxidation of which with H2O2–tungstate in methanol led to the formation of the corresponding 1,2,3,4-tetrahydroquinazolin-1-ols 2. A one-pot procedure involving the treatment of the in situ formed quinazoline 1 with H2O2–tungstate again led to the formation of 2. Compounds 2 react with 2 equiv of aryl isocyanate in toluene at room temperature to produce compounds 3. The probable mechanism of the ring-expanding carbamoylation of quinazolin-1-ols 2 to 6-oxa-5,8-diaza-benzocycloheptenes 3 is discussed.