Citation: Zan Chen, Yi Wang, Yuxuan Zhou, Yunlang Li, Rong Xiong, Wenting Huang, Huanfeng Jiang, Wanqing Wu. Selective synthesis of [6-6-7]/[6-6-6] core polycyclic heterocycles via Lewis acid-mediated cascade annulation of 1,6-enynols with aminonitriles[J]. Chinese Chemical Letters, ;2026, 37(6): 111718. doi: 10.1016/j.cclet.2025.111718 shu

Selective synthesis of [6-6-7]/[6-6-6] core polycyclic heterocycles via Lewis acid-mediated cascade annulation of 1,6-enynols with aminonitriles

Key Laboratory of Functional Molecular Engineering of Guangdong Province, State Key Laboratory of Luminescent Materials and Devices, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510640, China

cewuwq@scut.edu.cn

Received Date: 8 May 2025
Revised Date: 25 July 2025
Accepted Date: 12 August 2025
Available Online: 13 August 2025

Figures(6)

Polycyclic heterocycles are prevalent in medicines, functional materials and natural products, making their synthesis a significant focus in modern organic chemistry. Herein, we present a Lewis acid-mediated cascade annulation of 1,6-enynols with o-aminobenzonitriles for the chemoselective synthesis of oxepino[3,4,5-de][1,6]naphthyridine and chromeno[2,3,4-de][1,6]naphthyridine derivatives. This reaction design enables selective control over the carbon-heteroatom and carbon-carbon bond formation in an efficient, atom-economical manner, allowing the one-step synthesis of rare [6-6-7] and [6-6-6] core polycyclic heterocycles containing three heteroatoms. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations and control experiments reveal that the reaction's high selectivity is achieved by modulating the reactivity of electron-rich alkenyl groups in the enynols, which selectively directs the intramolecular dehydroaromatization and cyclization processes.
- Polycyclic heterocycles,
- Lewis acid-mediated,
- [4+2] Cycloaddition,
- Dehydroaromatization
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