“One pot” synthesis of quinazolinone-[2,3]-fused polycyclic scaffolds in a three-step reaction sequence†

Diverse quinazolinone-[2,3]-fused polycyclic skeletons occupy a prominent position in drug discovery. Even with currently available methods there still remain unmet needs for flexible access to such structures. Herein, we have explored a mild “one pot” procedure for the construction of various quinazolinone-[2,3]-fused polycycles. The procedure involves Pd-catalyzed carbonylation of N-(2-iodophenyl)acetamides, release of the masked terminal amine, and two sequential and spontaneous cyclizations. This generally applicable approach features easy assembly of precursors from readily available starting materials, mild reaction conditions, non-cumbersome operation, and polycyclic diversity.