Cu(I)-Catalyzed Aminative Aza-Annulation of Enynyl Azide using N-Fluorobenzenesulfonimide: Synthesis of 5-Aminonicotinates.

An unprecedented copper-catalyzed aminative aza-annulation of enynyl azide using commercially available N-fluorobenzenesulfonimide (NFSI) as an amination reagent is described. The reaction proceeds via regioselective inter-/intramolecular diamination, incorporating one nitrogen from the NFSI and the other from the azide, to provide amino-substituted nicotinate derivatives in a single step with moderate to high yield. This method represents an efficient way to access diverse aminonicotinates through direct C-N bond-coupling processes.