Mild synthesis of polyfunctional benzimidazoles and indoles by the reduction of functionalized nitroarenes with phenylmagnesium chloride.
Dohle W., Staubitz A., Knochel P.
Phenylmagnesium chloride has been used for the conversion of selected nitroarenes into nitrenes. Their insertion into a neighboring sp(2) C-H bond yielded functionalized heterocycles. A novel and mild synthesis of polyfunctional benzimidazoles and indoles is described.