Rh(III)-Catalyzed cascade annulation to produce an -acetyl chain of spiropyrroloisoquinoline derivatives.

A new rhodium(III)-catalyzed multistep cascade spirocyclization approach was developed to synthesize a novel -acetyl chain of spiropyrroloisoquinoline derivatives using oxadiazoles as the directing group. This one-pot reaction also isolates aryloxadiazole derivatives as cross-coupling intermediates. This simple approach could efficiently expand the scope of the skeletons of isoquinolines and aryloxadiazoles.