A six step synthesis of 8-amino-7-quinolinecarbaldehyde from 8-hydroxyquinoline has been developed. This aminoaldehyde undergoes Friedländer condensation with ketones to form 2-substituted 1, 10-phenanthrolines and 1, 2-diketones to form 2, 2′-bi-(1.10- phenanthroline) s. A tetramethylene derivative of the latter class of compounds forms a helical dinuclear complex with Cu (I).
