One-pot synthesis of polysubstituted indolizines by an addition/cycloaromatization sequence.

Indolizines carrying various substituents in positions 5-8 were obtained from readily available 2-(1H-pyrrol-1-yl)nitriles and α,β-unsaturated ketones or aldehydes in a one-pot procedure. Michael addition of the deprotonated aminonitriles to the acceptors followed by acid-catalyzed electrophilic cyclization produces 5,6-dihydroindolizine-5-carbonitriles. From these stable intermediates, substituted indolizines were obtained via base-induced dehydrocyanation.