Synthesis of 3-iminoindol-2-amines and cyclic enaminones via palladium-catalyzed isocyanide insertion-cyclization

A palladium-catalyzed isocyanide insertion-cyclization using low-cost and readily accessible 2-haloanilines, 2-iodophenylethanones, and isocyanides for efficient synthesis of 3-iminoindol-2-amine and cyclic enaminone derivatives has been developed. The method features low-cost and readily accessible starting materials, reliable scalability, and bond-forming efficiency as well as simple one-pot operation, which makes this strategy highly attractive. A reasonable mechanism for forming 3-iminoindol-2-amine involved double isocyanide insertion/cyclization process is proposed.