posted on 2008-05-16, 00:00authored byYun-Yun Yang, Wang-Ge Shou, Zheng-Bo Chen, Deng Hong, Yan-Guang Wang
2-Azido-3-arylacrylates react with α-diazocarbonyl compounds and triphenylphosphine to furnish isoquinolines in 60−92% yields. The tandem process involves a Wolff rearrangement, an aza-Wittig reaction, and an electrocyclic ring closure. The procedure is efficient, rapid, and general, and the substrates are readily available.