Oxidative Synthesis of Benzimidazoles, Quinoxalines, and Benzoxazoles from Primary Amines by ortho-Quinone Catalysis.

The bioinspired ortho-quinone catalysts have been applied to heterocycles synthesis. Without any metal cocatalysts, a sole ortho-quinone catalyst enables the oxidative synthesis of benzimidazoles, quinoxalines and benzoxazoles from primary amines in high yields under mild conditions with oxygen as the terminal oxidant.