Metal/Benzoyl Peroxide (BPO)-Controlled Chemoselective Cycloisomerization of (o‑Alkynyl)phenyl Enaminones: Synthesis of α‑Naphthylamines and Indeno[1,2‑c]pyrrolones

Synthetic methods involving chemoselective tandem reactions for the synthesis of α-naphthylamines and indeno­[1,2-c]­pyrrolones starting from (o-aklynyl)­phenyl enaminones are described. When reactions were carried out in N,N-dimethyl­formamide (DMF) using a AgNO3 catalyst, α-naphthylamines were obtained in up to 89% isolated yields within 2 h. Whereas indeno­[1,2-c]­pyrrolones were produced in high isolated yields in the presence of benzoyl peroxide (BPO) and CuCl catalysis.