An easy entry into 2-halo-3-aryl-4(3H)-quinazoliniminium halides from heteroenyne-allenes

An efficient three-step synthesis of 2-halo-3-aryl-4(3H)-quinazoliniminium halides from commercially available materials is described. Upon reaction with hydrogen halides, generated in situ from a Lewis acid (MX) and trace water, a variety of easily accessible heteroenyne-allenes underwent facile intramolecular cyclization to afford the title compounds in good yields. The method is highly versatile and provides a general way to construct quinazoliniminium ring systems with a variety of different substitutions.