Discrepancies in the reactivity pattern of azaenamines towards cinnamonitriles: synthesis of novel aza-steroid analogues

Azaenamine incorporating pyrazole-4-carboxylate is prepared and allowed to react with α,β-substituted nitriles. A new reactivity pattern was observed leading to the formation of substituted pyrazolo[4′,3′-5,6]pyrimido[2,1-a]phthalazine-9-carbonitriles, which can be considered as aromatic aza-steroid analogues.