Alkylation of quinoxalin-2(1H)-ones using phosphonium ylides as alkylating reagents

Abstract

A practical and efficient methodology for the construction of 3-alkylquinoxalinones through base promoted direct alkylation of quinoxalin-2(1H)-ones with phosphonium ylides as alkylating reagents under metal- and oxidant-free conditions was developed. Various 3-alkylquinoxalin-2(1H)-ones were easily obtained in good to excellent yields. Tentative mechanistic studies suggest that this reaction is likely to involve a nucleophilic addition–elimination process.