Practical Synthesis of Benzimidazo[1,2‑a]quinolines via Rh(III)-Catalyzed C–H Activation Cascade Reaction from Imidamides and Anthranils

We report a novel and practical one-pot Rh­(III)-catalyzed strategy to construct benzimidazo­[1,2-a]­quinolines from readily available imidamides and anthranils. The cascade reaction proceeds via a C–H amination–cyclization–cyclization process in ionic liquid without any additives and possesses simple operation, moderate-to-high yield, and broad substrate scope features, which will provide the reference for the construction of biologically active fused benzimidazoles.