Synthesis of 2,3-Dihydro-1H-2-benzazepin-1-ones and 3H-2-Benzoxepin-1-ones by Isocyanide-Based Multicomponent Reaction/Wittig Sequence Starting from Phosphonium Salt Precursors.

A one-pot synthesis of multisubstituted 2,3-dihydro-1H-2-benzazepin-1-ones and 3H-2-benzoxepin-1-ones by an I-MCR/Wittig sequence was developed. The reaction of phosphonium salt 3, arylglyoxals 4, amine 5 (or without), and isocyanide 6 produced the 2,3-dihydro-1H-2-benzazepin-1-ones 8 or 3H-2-benzoxepin-1-ones 10 in good yields via a sequential Ugi or Passerini condensation and intramolecular Wittig reaction in the presence of NEt3.