One-pot synthesis of polyhydropyrido[1,2-a]indoles and tetracyclic quinazolinones from 2-arylindoles using copper-mediated oxidative tandem reactions

We developed facile one-pot methods for the transformation of 2-arylindoles to polyhydropyrido[1,2-a]indoles and tetracyclic quinazolinones. The copper-catalyzed oxidation of 2-arylindoles to C-acylimines followed by aza-Diels-Alder reactions or oxidative ring-expansion reactions afforded significant polycyclic heterocycles. (C) 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.