Facile synthesis of 11-aryl-6H-isoindolo[2,1-a]indol-6-ones via hypervalent iodine(iii)-promoted cascade cyclization

Abstract

An efficient method was developed for the synthesis of a tetracyclic fused indole and isoindoline ring system, under metal-free conditions. The hypervalent iodine PIDA-mediated regioselective as well as chemoselective intramolecular cascade oxidative cyclization of 2-(1-arylethynyl)benzamides afforded 11-aryl-6H-isoindolo[2,1-a]indol-6-ones at room temperature in good to excellent yields.