Divergent Synthesis of Pyrazolo[1,5- a ]pyridines and Imidazo[1,5- a ]pyridines via Reagent-Controlled Cleavage of the C-N or C-C Azirine Bond in 2-Pyridylazirines.

The three-membered ring in 2-(2-pyridyl)azirine-2-carboxylic esters and thioesters can undergo selective cleavage of either the N-C2 bond under copper(II) catalysis or the C-C bond under the action of HCl to provide isomeric azirine ring expansion products of pyrazolo[1,5- a ]pyridine or imidazo[1,5- a ]pyridine series, respectively. Mild catalytic reaction conditions for the formation of pyrazolopyridines make it possible to obtain them directly from 4-bromoisoxazoles by a one-pot, three-stage procedure without isolating the intermediate 2-bromoazirines and 2-(2-pyridyl)azirines.