Photoinduced chlorine atom-transfer cyclization/photohydrolysis of 3-acyl-2-chloro-N-(ω-phenylalkynyl)pyrroles: a one-pot synthesis of benzoyl-substituted fused pyrroles.

A one-pot synthesis of benzoyl-substituted fused pyrroles or indoles in moderate to high yields has been achieved by the photocyclization/photohydrolysis reactions of N-(ω-phenylalkynyl)-2-chloropyrrole-3-carbaldehydes or 3-acyl-N-(ω-phenylbutynyl)-2-haloindoles in wet acetone. The formation of all these products could be inferred by a two-step reactions, namely, photoinduced chlorine atom-transfer cyclization and subsequent photohydrolysis.