Benzannulated Bicycles by Three-Component Aryne Reactions

Triple crown: A pair of three‐component coupling reactions between arynes, isocyanides, and either activated alkynes or phenyl esters generates unusual iminoindenones or phenoxy iminoisobenzofurans (see scheme), the latter of which may be advanced to o‐ketobenzamides by performing direct hydrolysis. The synthetic utility of these compounds is demonstrated in a rapid preparation of substituted dibenzoketocaprolactams.