Making endo-cyclizations favorable again: a conceptually new synthetic approach to benzotriazoles via azide group directed lithiation/cyclization of 2-azidoaryl bromides.

Although benzotriazoles are important and ubiquitous, currently there is only one conceptual approach to their synthesis: bridging the two ortho-amino groups with an electrophilic nitrogen atom. Herein, we disclose a new practical alternative - the endo-cyclization of 2-azidoaryl lithiums obtained in situ from 2-azido-aryl bromides. The scope of the reaction is illustrated using twenty-four examples with a variety of alkyl, alkoxy, perfluoroalkyl, and halogen substituents. We found that the directing effect of the azide group allows selective metal-halogen exchange in aryl azides containing several bromine atoms. Furthermore, (2-bromophenyl)diazomethane undergoes similar cyclization to give an indazole. Thus, cyclizations of aryl lithiums containing an ortho-X = Y = Z group emerge as a new general approach for the synthesis of aromatic heterocycles. DFT computations suggested that the observed endo-selectivity applies to the anionic cyclizations of other functionalities that undergo "1,1-additions" (i.e., azides, diazo compounds, and isonitriles). In contrast, cyclizations with the heteroatomic functionalities that follow the "1,2-addition" pattern (cyanates, thiocyanates, isocyanates, isothiocyanates, and nitriles) prefer the exo-cyclization path. Hence, such reactions expand the current understanding of stereoelectronic factors in anionic cyclizations.