Selenium-Catalyzed Reductive Cyclization and Carbocyclization of 2,2 '-Dinitrostilbenes with Carbon Monoxide: One-Shot Synthesis of Indolo[1,2-c]quinazolinones

When 2,2'-dinitrostilbene derivatives were allowed to react with carbon monoxide in the presence of a catalytic amount of selenium, reductive cyclization and carbocyclization proceeded to give indolo[1,2-c]quinazolin-6(5H)-ones, containing both indole and cyclic urea units, in moderate yields. 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Heteroatom Chem 22:571-575, 2011; View this article online at wileyonlinelibraiy.com. DOI 10.1002/hc.20685