Dual function of carbon tetrachloride: synthesis of chlorinated heterocycles

An efficient tandem approach to invent highly chlorinated and structurally diversified dihydropyridine fused heterocycles from easily accessible ortho-alkynylaldehydes and primary amines under metal-free conditions via four sequential bond formations is described. The proposed tandem route proceeds via a carbon tetrachloride-mediated 6-endo-dig ring closure followed by nucleophilic attack of the trichloromethyl anion.