Palladium-catalyzed oxidative insertion of carbon monoxide to N-sulfonyl-2-aminobiaryls through C-H bond activation: access to bioactive phenanthridinone derivatives in one pot.

Palladium-catalyzed oxidative carbonylation of N-sulfonyl-2-aminobiaryls through C-H bond activation and C-C, C-N bond formation under TFA-free and milder conditions has been developed. The reaction tolerates a variety of substrates and provides biologically important phenanthridinone derivatives in yields up to 94%.