Thermal cyclization of 3‐azido‐2‐phenyl‐indan‐l‐one to 5h‐indeno[1,2‐b]indol‐10‐one

3‐Azido‐2‐phenylindan‐1‐one ( 4 ), which was obtained from 3‐chloro‐2‐phenylindan‐1‐one ( 3 ), cyclizes on thermolysis to 5H‐indeno1,2‐b]indol‐10‐one ( 5 ). Reaction of 3‐azido‐2‐phenylindan‐1‐one ( 4 ) with triphenylphosphane gives 2‐phenyl‐3‐(triphenylphosphoranylideneamino)‐indan‐1‐one ( 6 ), which can be hydrolyzed to 3‐amino‐2‐phenylindan‐1‐one ( 7 ). Attempts to perform a similar cyclization sequence with 3‐chloro‐2‐pyridylindan‐1‐ones failed.