Transition-metal-free synthesis of phenanthridinones from biaryl-2-oxamic acid under radical conditions.

Na2S2O8-promoted decarboxylative cyclization of biaryl-2-oxamic acid for phenanthridinones has been developed. This work illustrates the first example of intramolecular decarboxylative amidation of unactivated arene under transition-metal-free conditions. Additionally, this approach provides an efficient and economical method to access biologically interesting phenanthridinones, an important structure motif in many natural products.