Direct imine acylation: rapid access to diverse heterocyclic scaffolds.

A simple and efficient procedure to prepare a range of diverse heterocycles by the direct acylation of imines using a variety of functionalized benzoic acids is described. The methodology features a novel method for N-acyliminium ion generation followed by in situ intramolecular trapping by oxygen-, nitrogen-, sulfur- and carbon-based nucleophiles. Preliminary mechanistic studies, using ReactIR, are also reported.