Vinylogous and coupled hexahydroquinolinones and dihydropyridines with calcium-modulating effects.

The vinylogous, anellated and non-anellated dihydropyridines 4 and their coupled analogues 5 are accessible through Hantzsch-type cyclization reactions. IR, 1H-NMR, and mass spectral data are in agreement with the postulated structures. Pharmacological investigations on electrically-stimulated left atria of guinea pigs with some of the compounds gave rise to positive inotropic activities whereas BaCl2-induced contractions of the ileum were inhibited in a dose-dependent manner by some of the products.