A new pathway for the preparation of biologically active 2-substituted 1,5-dihydrobenzo[e][1,2,4]oxadiazepines and related compounds by palladium-catalyzed cyclization of amidoximes with o-iodobenzyl bromide or 2-bromo-3-chloromethylpyridine

A simple palladium-catalyzed one-pot synthesis of 2-substituted 1,5-dihydrobenzo[e][1,2,4]-oxadiazepines from corresponding (E)-amidoximes and o-iodobenzyl bromide or 2-bromo-3-chloromethylpyridine is described. Of the derivatives prepared 2-[6-(quinolin-2-ylsulfanyl)-hexyl]-1,5-dihydrobenzo[e][1,2,4]oxadiazepine exhibits high activity on HT-1080 (hyman fibrosarcoma) and MG-22A (mouse hepatoma) cancer cell lines.