Nickel-Catalyzed Aerobic Oxidative Isocyanide Insertion: Access to Benzimidazoquinazoline Derivatives via a Sequential Double Annulation Cascade (SDAC) Strategy

An efficient protocol for the synthesis of quinazoline derivatives through nickel-catalyzed ligand-/base-free oxidative isocyanide insertion under aerobic conditions with intramolecular bis-amine nucleophiles has been developed. A one-pot sequential double annulation cascade (SDAC) strategy involving an opening of isatoic anhydride and annulation to benzimidazole and further nickel-catalyzed intramolecular isocyanide insertion has also been demonstrated. The method is operationally simple to implement with a wide variety of substrates and represents a new approach for multiple C–N bond formations. The methodology has been successfully applied to the syntheses of hitherto unreported imidazo-fused benzimidazoquinazolines via a deprotection–GBB reaction sequence. Further, a florescence study reveals the potential of the present strategy for the discovery of highly fluorescent probes.