Nickel‐Catalyzed Decarboxylative Cyclization of Isatoic Anhydrides with Carbodiimides: Synthesis of 2,3‐Dihydroquinazolin‐4(1H)‐ones

In this study, a nickel‐catalyzed decarboxylative cyclization of isatoic anhydrides with carbodiimides was developed. This protocol realized the direct introduction of carbodiimides into heterocyclic compounds under an in situ generated Ni(0) complex. Synthetically, this methodology provides a simplified and secure new approach for the preparation of 2‐imino‐2,3‐dihydroquinazolin‐4(1H)‐ones. The control experiments and DFT theoretical calculations indicated that the Ni(0)‐catalyzed process is of central importance to the entire transformation.