Hexaazapolycycles by selective multimethylenations with dichloromethane and base or with hexamethylenetetramine

Multiple methylenations of 2-aminomethylbenzimidazole with dichloromethane and methylamine or ammonia or with hexamethylenetetramine lead to highly selective formations of 6 new single bonds to give only a polycyclic bis-spiro-1,5-diazocine 2 or only a polycyclic spiro-1,3,6-triazonine 4 or only a polycyclic 1,3,6,8-tetrazecine derivative 6. 4 and 6 may be equally well obtained starting with 2-chloromethyl-benzimidazole. All of these selectively formed products are concave cryptands with 6 amino nitrogen atoms. No template metals are used in their syntheses. The reasons for the unusual changes in selectivity are investigated using semi-empirical PM3 calculations and mechanistic considerations. Experimental and spectroscopic details are given.