Highly regioselective C4-hydrazinylation of 2,4-dichloroquinolines: expedient synthesis of aminoquinoline substituted pyrrolidin-2,5-diones via hydrazinylquinolines

A new class of hydrazinylquinoline regio-isomers has been synthesized through SNAr reaction of 2,4-dichloroquinolines with hydrazine hydrate. The reaction stops at the mono-substitution product with high regioselectivity at the C4 rather than C2 position of dichloroquinolines. The hydrazinylquinolines were subsequently converted into aminoquinoline substituted pyrrolidin-2,5-diones in the presence of Eaton’s reagent.