One-pot, two-step cascade synthesis of quinazolinotriazolobenzodiazepines.

An operationally simple, one-pot, two-step cascade method has been developed to afford quinazolino[1,2,3]triazolo[1,4]benzodiazepines. This unique, atom-economical transformation engages five reactive centers (amide, aniline, carbonyl, azide, and alkyne) and employs environmentally benign iodine as a catalyst. The method proceeds via sequential quinazolinone-forming condensation and intramolecular azide-alkyne 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition reactions. Substrate scope, multicomponent examples, and mechanistic insights are discussed.