Investigation of perinone compounds

The electronic nature of the substituent in naphthalic anhydride has a substantial effect on the isomeric composition of the naphthaloperinones formed in reactions with 1,8-naphthylenediamine. An electron-accepting substituent in the 4 position of naphthalic anhydride promotes predominant retention of the carbonyl group in the 1 position, while an electrondonating substituent promotes retention of the carbonyl group in the 8 position of the naphthalene ring. 10-Amino- and 11-amino-14H-benzo[4,5]isoquinolino[2,1-a]perimidin-14-ones were synthesized.