Amides, obtained from 1-azaspiro[4.n]alkenes (n = 3, 4, 5) and 2-(6-bromo-1,3-benzo-dioxol-5-yl)acetyl chloride, upon heating with a Herrmann—Beller palladium catalyst undergo intramolecular cyclization by the Heck reaction to form pentacyclic compounds (up to 94% yield) including an 1-azaspiro[4.n]alkene (n = 4, 5) fragment and a new eight-membered 3-benzazocine ring. The structure of the thus obtained pentacycles with the 1-azaspiro[4.4]non-7-ene fragment is isomeric to the structure of the main core of alkaloid cephalotaxine. In the case of 1-azaspiro[4.5]dec-2-ene derivative, the reaction is accompanied by the reduction of bromo amide, with the yield of the cyclization product being 34%. The starting 1-azaspiro-[4.n]alkenes (n = 3, 4, 5) were synthesized by the reductive diallylboration of 3-chloropropion-itrile or the corresponding lactams (piperidin-2-one, (2S)-2-hydroxymethyl-and 5,5-di-methylpyrrolidin-2-one) with subsequent intramolecular metathesis upon the action of Grubbs catalyst.
