Base-promoted transannulation of heterocyclic enamines and 2,3-epoxypropan-1-ones: regio- and stereoselective synthesis of fused pyridines and pyrroles.

Base-promoted transannulation of heterocyclic enamines and 2,3-epoxypropan-1-ones has been successfully achieved, providing a new access to structurally diverse fused pyridines and pyrroles with excellent regio- and stereoselectivity. Treatment with N-aryl 4-aminofuran-2(5H)-ones and 2,3-epoxypropan-1-ones under microwave heating resulted in functional furo[3,2-b]pyridines in good yields. The N-aryl 4-aminopyrrol-2(5H)-ones bearing an electron-withdrawing group engaged in the reaction afforded pyrrolo[3,2-b]pyridines, whereas their counterparts with an electron-neutral or an electron-donating group underwent a different reaction pathway to form pyrrolo[3,2-b]pyrroles through C-C bond cleavage.