Copper-catalyzed cascade cyclization of 1,7-enynes with aromatic sulfonyl chlorides toward selective assembly of benzo[j]phenanthridin-6(5H)-ones.

A step-economical method for the cascade cyclization of 1,7-enynes with aromatic sulfonyl chlorides by using a low-cost and more abundant Cu catalyst is presented. This method allows access to benzo[j]phenanthridin-6(5H)-ones and represents a new Cu-catalyzed cascade cyclization of 1,n-enynes.