Silver-Catalyzed Stereoselective Cyclization to Polysubstituted (Z)-1,2-Dihydrobenzo[cd]indoles

Silver-catalyzed stereoselective synthesis of polysubstituted (Z)-1,2-dihydrobenzo[cd]indoles from 8-ethynylnaphthalen-1-amines is reported. In this protocol, a series of nitrogen-containing heterocyclic compounds were synthesized by silver-catalyzed α-addition of alkyne bond with high selectivity and high yields. The synthesized polysubstituted 1,2-dihydrobenzo[cd]indoles could be easily converted to benzo[cd]indol-2(1H)-ones, and both 1,2-dihydrobenzo[cd]indoles and benzo[cd]indol- 2(1H)-ones are biological and pharmaceutical cores.