A direct method for oxidizing quinoxaline, tetraazaphenanthrene, and hexaazatriphenylene moieties using hypervalent λ3-iodinane compounds.

An efficient oxidation reaction of various electron-poor quinoxaline-core-containing compounds, such as quinoxalines, 1,4,5,8-tetraazaphenanthrenes, and 1,4,5,8,9,12-hexaazatriphenylene, using [bis(trifluoroacetoxy)iodo]benzene is reported. These compounds are converted into the corresponding quinoxalinediones in good to high yields at room temperature using an acetonitrile/water solvent mixture. This unprecedented reaction should enable the synthesis of a wide variety of compounds useful in several fields of chemistry.