Ruthenium-catalyzed aerobic oxidative cyclization of aromatic and heteroaromatic nitriles with alkynes: a new route to isoquinolones

Abstract

The oxidative cyclization of aromatic and heteroaromatic nitriles with alkynes in the presence of a catalytic amount of [{RuCl2(p-cymene)}2], Cu(OAc)2-H2O and KPF6 in acetic acid under air gave isoquinolones in good to excellent yields.