Amino acids as the nitrogen-containing motifs in copper-catalyzed domino synthesis of N-heterocycles.

A copper-catalyzed domino method for synthesis of quinazolinones has been developed using readily available α-amino acids as the nitrogen-containing motifs. The domino process underwent Ullmann-type N-arylation, decarboxylation, aerobic oxidation, and intramolecular addition. This method should provide a new and useful strategy for construction of N-heterocycles.