A facile I-catalyzed synthesis of imidazo[1,2-a]pyridines via sp C-H functionalization of azaarenes and evaluation of anticancer activity.

A facile and efficient metal-free, one-pot, three component synthetic protocol has been developed for the synthesis of medicinally important substituted imidazo[1,2-a]pyridines via the iodine-catalysed oxidative amination of benzylic C-H bonds of azaarenes with 2-aminoazines and condensation with isocyanides. The presented methodology offers the advantages of wide substrate scope, moderate reaction conditions, environment friendliness, clean and simple protocol with high atom economy apart from higher yields. The synthesized compounds were screened for their anti-cancer activity in selected human cancer cell lines. Compounds 4a, 4b, 4c, 4i, 7a, 7b and 7m have significant IC values ranging from 4.88 ± 0.28 to 14.55 ± 0.74 μM.