Single-Step Synthesis of 3-Iodoquinolines from 2-Aminophenyl Ketones through a Regioselective (6-endo-dig) Electrophilic Cyclization

A highly facile single-step synthetic approach to 3-iodoquinolines has been developed for the first time from readily available 2-aminobenzophenones and terminal alkynes. The reaction involves the nucleophilic addition of terminal alkynes to 2-aminobenzophenones followed by a regioselective iodocyclization (6-endo-dig) to furnish 2,4-disubstituted 3-iodoquinolines in high yields. In general, 2,4-diaryl-substituted products were isolated without the need for column chromatography.