Palladium-catalyzed cyclizative carbonylation of azobenzenes toward 3H-Indazol-3-ones using formic acid as CO source

Abstract

A palladium-catalyzed cyclizative carbonylation of azobenzenes has been developed to access 1-acyl 2-aryl 3H-indazol-3-ones in moderate to good yields with good functional compatibility. This procedure proceeded with the sequential ortho-C–H carbonylation and cyclization, where formic acid served as the CO source. The practicability of this transformation was further increased by the employment of facilely available azobenzenes derivatives as one-handled starting materials.