THE XANTHATE ROUTE TO BENZAZEPINONES AND THEIR AZA CONGENERS

The present brief overview highlights and discusses the synthetic potential of the degenerative radical addition of xanthates for the synthesis of benzazepinones and their aza congeners. Various routes are presented, including direct cyclisations onto the aromatic or heteroaromatic ring, intermolecular radical additions followed by ring closure, and Beckmann ring expansion of tetralones produced by radical addition-cyclisation. Many of the compounds described are medicinally relevant and not readily available by more conventional methods.