Cascade intramolecular imidoylation and C-H activation/annulation of benzimidoyl chlorides with alkynes: one-pot synthesis of 7H-dibenzo[de,h]quinoline analogues.

Reported herein is a cascade Lewis acid-promoted intramolecular Friedel-Crafts-type imidoylation and Rh(iii)-catalyzed C-H activation/annulation of benzimidoyl chlorides and alkynes, providing a general and concise one-pot approach to 7H-dibenzo[de,h]quinoline analogues. This divergent approach is based on a convergent retrosynthetic disconnection strategy.