Multicomponent strategy to indeno[2,1-c]pyridine and hydroisoquinoline derivatives through cleavage of carbon–carbon bond.

A concise and efficient three-component domino reaction has been developed for the synthesis of polyfunctionalized indenopyridine and hydroisoquinoline derivatives via the cleavage of a C–C bond under transition-metal-free conditions. This reaction provides facile access to complex nitrogen-containing heterocycles by simply mixing three common starting materials in EtOH in the presence of 20 mol % NaOH under microwave irradiation conditions.