Ruthenium(II)-Catalyzed Regioselective Ortho Amidation of Imidazo Heterocycles with Isocyanates

Direct ortho amidation at the phenyl ring of 2-phenylimidazo heterocycles with aryl isocyanates has been achieved via a chelation-assisted cationic ruthenium(II) complex catalyzed mechanism. The methodology provides a straightforward, high-yielding regioselective approach toward the synthesis of an array of ortho-amidated phenylimidazo heterocycles without prior activation of C(sp2)-H. This also reports the first method for coupling of aryl isocyanates with the imidazo[1,2-a]pyridine system via a pentacyclometalated intermediate. The methodology is found to be easily scalable and could be applied toward the selective ortho amidation of 2-heteroarylimidazo[1,2-a]pyridine frameworks.