Construction of Dihydropyrido[2,3-d]pyrimidine Scaffolds via Aza-Claisen Rearrangement Catalyzed by N-Heterocyclic Carbenes.

N-Heterocyclic carbenes (NHCs) catalyzing aza-Claisen rearrangement of α,β-unsaturated enals with cyclic vinylogous amides under oxidative conditions generating potentially biologically active dihydropyridinone-fused uracils have been developed. This strategy represents a unique NHC-activation-based path with the use of 6-aminouracils as stable α,β-diEWG cyclic vinylogous amides for the efficient synthesis of bicyclic N-unprotected lactams similar to those in many useful drugs.