Ruthenium-catalyzed C-H/O-H and C-H/N-H bond functionalizations: oxidative annulations of cyclopropyl-substituted alkynes.

The chemical behavior of cyclopropyl-substituted alkynes has been probed using the reaction conditions of ruthenium-catalyzed oxidative C-H/O-H and C-H/N-H bond functionalizations. The oxidative annulations proceeded with complete conservation of all cyclopropane fragments and allowed for the one-step preparation of synthetically useful cyclopropyl-substituted isocoumarins and isoquinolones with high regioselectivities and chemical yields. The connectivities of the key heterocyclic products were unambiguously established by X-ray diffraction analysis.