Synthesis of fused bicyclic imidazoles by sequential van Leusen/ring-closing metathesis reactions.

[reaction: see text]. A new strategy employing the van Leusen three-component reaction and the ring-closing metathesis reaction in a sequential fashion to access fused bicyclic imidazole rings is reported. The two-step sequence generated compounds of significant molecular complexity from simple starting materials in an expedient fashion with excellent yields.