A General Synthesis of Alkenyl‐Substituted Benzofurans,Indoles, and Isoquinolones by Cascade Palladium‐Catalyzed Heterocyclization/Oxidative Heck Coupling

Structurally diverse C3‐alkenylbenzofurans, C3‐alkenylindoles, and C4‐alkenylisoquinolones are efficiently prepared by using consecutive Sonogashira and cascade Pd‐catalyzed heterocyclization/oxidative Heck couplings from readily available ortho‐iodosubstituted phenol, aniline, and benzamide substrates, alkynes, and functionalized olefins. The cyclization of O‐ and N‐heteronucleophiles follows regioselective 5‐endo‐dig‐ or 6‐endo‐dig‐cyclization modes, whereas the subsequent Heck‐type coupling with both mono‐ and disubstituted olefins takes place stereoselectively with exclusive formation of the E isomers in most cases.     

Pd‐Catalyzed Intermolecular Dearomative Heck Reaction of Indole Derivatives

Prof. Chao Zheng, Prof. Shu‐Li You, Ping Yang and Dr. Ren‐Qi Xu (from left to right)     

Palladium‐Catalyzed Chemoselective Intramolecular Cyclization of 2‐Bromoaryl Alkenenitriles

The chemoselectivity in the palladium‐catalyzed intramolecular cyclization of 2‐(o‐bromoaryl)‐alkenenitriles depends on the nature of α‐substitutents. 2‐(o‐Bromoanilino)alkenenitriles attacked the cyano group, followed by the cyano group transposition and hydrolysis, to give o‐(methylamino)benzonitrile. 2‐(o‐Bromobenzyl)alkenenitriles, 2‐(o‐bromophenylthio)alkenenitriles and 2‐(o‐bromophenoxy)‐alkenenitriles attacked the olefinic double bonds and led to l‐vinyl‐2‐indancecarbonitrile, 1,2,3,4‐tetrahydronaphthalene‐2‐carbonitriles, 3,4‐dihydro‐2H‐benzo[b]thiine‐2‐carbonitriles, and 3,4‐dihydro‐2H‐benzo[b]oxine‐2‐carbonitriles. A general mechanism for the palladium‐catalyzed arylations is proposed.