Authors: Alexander Binsacca, Jackson Merriam, Brighton Stringham, Allyssa Platt
Mentors: Rajan Kochambilli
Insitution: Salt Lake Community College
Indolizines and Quinolizinium Cations are two classes of structurally related aromatic heterocycles with one Nitrogen atom at the fusion position. They form integral part of the core structure of several alkaloids and show significant therapeutic properties. Mass Spectroscopic studies of 3-substituted indolizines have shown that on ionization, Indolizines undergo rearrangement to Quinolizinium ions by ring expansion. Analogous conversion of Indolizines to Quinolizinium salts by chemical means was attempted. Results of our investigation on the ring expansion process starting with 3-substituted Indolizines to stable Quinolizinium salts will be presented.