Cycloaddition and Skeleton Rearrangement of Heterocyclic Ketene Aminals (HKAs) with 1-Diazonaphthalen-2(1)-ones for the Synthesis of Functionalized 1,2,3-Triazoles.

We developed a protocol for the synthesis of highly functionalized 5,6-dihydro-imidazo[1,2-][1,2,3]triazole derivatives - (DHITs) from 1-diazonaphthalen-2(1)-one derivatives with heterocyclic ketene aminals (HKAs). This strategy involved cycloaddition and skeletal rearrangement entailing the heating of a mixture of substrates with HKAs - and THF without any catalyst. As a result, a series of DHITs - were produced by cleaving one bond (1 C═N bond) and forming three bonds (1 N-N and 2 C-N bonds) in a single step. This protocol achieved the dual functionalization of diazo building blocks involving both the aromatic nitrogen alkylation reaction to form an ArC-N bond without any metal catalyst and the intermolecular cycloaddition of the N═N bond. These strategies can be used to synthesize functionalized DHITs for combinatorial and parallel syntheses via one-pot reactions without any catalyst.