Cascade One‐Pot Synthesis of Orange‐Red‐Fluorescent Polycyclic Cinnolino[2,3‐f]phenanthridin‐9‐ium Salts by Palladium(II)‐Catalyzed C−H Bond Activation of 2‐Azobiaryl Compounds and Alkenes

Abstract Quaternary ammonium salts were synthesized in moderate to good yields through double oxidative C−H bond activation on azobenzenes. The mechanism of the highly regioselective reaction of 2‐azobiaryls with alkenes to give orange‐red‐fluorescent cinnolino[2,3‐ f ]phenanthridin‐9‐ium salts and 15 H ‐cinnolino[2,3‐ f ]phenanthridin‐9‐ium‐10‐ide is proposed to involve ortho C−H olefination of the 2‐azobiaryl compound with the alkene, intramolecular aza‐Michael addition, concerted metalation–deprotonation (CMD), reductive elimination, and oxidation.