New Benzotriazole and Benzimidazole Scaffolds from Ugi-Smiles Couplings of Isocyanides

When allylamine is used as the amino input in Ugi-Smiles couplings of o-nitrophenols, the resulting adducts can be deallylated by a palladium-catalyzed process leading to a formal Ugi-Smiles coupling with ammonia. This new sequence, combined with hydrogenolysis of the nitro group, offers an interesting multicomponent entry to benzotriazole and benzimidazole scaffolds.