Terminal Alkyne-Assisted One-Pot Synthesis of Arylamidines: Carbon Source of the Amidine Group from Oxime Chlorides

A terminal alkyne-assisted protocol for the one-pot formation of a diverse range of arylamidines from a novel cascade reaction of in situ generated nitrile oxides, sulfonyl azides, terminal alkynes, and water by [3 + 2] cycloaddition and ring opening sequence was developed. The use of aryl oxime chlorides as the carbon source of the amidine group and the addition of water proved to be critical for the reaction. Moreover, terminal alkynes, which can lead to high yields of products by employing a less amount, may play a catalytic role in the reaction. A broader range of substrates was investigated.