Catalysis in Transamination of 6‐chloro‐2‐(3‐chlorophenyl)‐1H‐benz[de]isoquinoline‐1,3‐(2H)‐dione and its Implications in Laser Tissue Welding

The transamination of 6-chloro-2-(3-chlorophenyl)-1H-benz[de]isoquinoline-1,3-(2H)-dione with primary alkylamines under pseudo-first-order conditions is shown to be unimolecular in both reagents as well as unimolecular in methanol (in methanol solution). The reaction is subject to both general acid and general base catalysis. A termolecular, solvated transition state model and a putative model for the early steps of laser tissue welding with aminonaphthalimide dyes are proposed.