1,3-Dipolar cycloaddition of azomethine imines to ethynyl hetarenes: A synthetic route to 2,3-dihydropyrazolo[1,2-a]pyrazol-1(5H)-one based heterobiaryls

π-Deficient ethynyl hetarenes were used as dipolarophiles in a 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition reaction with azomethine imines (2-arylidene-5-oxopyrazolidin-2-ium-1-ides). Both CuI-catalyzed and catalyst-free thermally induced reactions proceeded with high regioselectivity providing 6-hetaryl-5-aryl-2,3-dihydropyrazolo1,2-a]pyrazol-1(5H)-ones in moderate to excellent yields. The ethynyl hetarenes (pyridines, pyrazines, quinoxalines, pteridines and pyrimido4,5-c]pyridazines) with ortho-methyl, ortho-cyano and ortho-alkynyl substituents were applicable to this reaction. 1,3-Dipolar cycloaddition reactions of alkynyl hetarenes with azomethine imines or other 1,3-dipole reagents can be considered as an alternative synthetic approach to heterobiaryls.