Sequential Decarboxylation, Substitution, Cyclization and Oxidation with Iodine‐DMSO Catalytic System: A New Methodology for the Construction of Imidazoquinoxaline Motifs

A one‐pot synthetic protocol has been developed using aryl acetic acid as new and alternate surrogate for the synthesis of 4‐aryl imidazoquinoxalines with molecular iodine‐DMSO green catalytic system under classical heating at 100–110 °C. A variety of quinoxaline derivatives containing quinoline are prepared by using this methodology. This new protocol has a potential to tolerate broad substrates, that is, different amines and aryl acetic acids. This research work entails single‐pot construction of 4‐aryl imidazoquinoxaline scaffolds with high yields in the presence of molecular iodine‐DMSO as a green catalyst under classical heating at 100–110 °C. The structures of the synthesized 4‐aryl imidazoquinoxalines were established by Mass, 1H NMR, and 13C NMR spectroscopic analysis. The prominent features of this protocol include broad compatibility of various arylacetic acids, commercially viable and inexpensive catalyst, user friendly solvent, low catalyst loading, no additional oxidizing agents, and scale amicable procedure.