Iron-catalyzed cascade reaction of 2-aminobenzyl alcohols with benzylamines: synthesis of quinazolines by trapping of ammonia.

A novel approach to construct 2-aryl/heteroaryl quinazolines was developed through an iron-catalyzed cascade reaction of 2-aminobenzyl alcohols with benzylamines under aerobic oxidative conditions. The reaction proceeds via the formation of N-benzylidenebenzylamines followed by oxidative trapping of ammonia/intramolecular cyclization in a one-pot manner. This method exhibits a broad substrate scope and a high tolerance level for sensitive functional groups, and is amenable to gram scale synthesis.