Rhodium(III) catalyzed synthesis of isoquinolone fused azabicycles through C-H activation of N-pivaloyloxy benzamides

Herein we describe an efficient one pot strategy toward highly functionalized isoquinolone fused azabicycles having great synthetic potential via C-H activation of N-pivaloyloxy benzamides under very mild conditions. The reaction is accomplished at room temperature within one hour in good to excellent yields and is found to be compatible with a range of diazabicyclic olefins and benzamides. The present strategy offers an easy route for the synthesis of biologically relevant compounds which possess multiple points for divergent synthesis. N-N bond cleavage of synthesized compounds may enable their significant role as effective precursors for the preparation of diaminocyclopentane fused isoquinolones. (C) 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.