A hydrazine-directed Rh(iii) catalyzed (4+2) annulation with sulfoxonium ylides: synthesis and photophysical properties of dihydrocinnolines

Abstract

We herein report hydrazine-directed, Rh(III) catalyzed (4+2) annulation of N-alkyl aryl hydrazines with sulfoxonium ylides as a safe carbene precursor. The reaction shows excellent functional group tolerance with broad substrate scope, scalability and site selectivity. Finally, photophysical studies indicated that some of these compounds have interesting fluorescence properties.