Pd(ii)-catalyzed cascade annulation of N-substituted anilines with CO, NH₄OAc and aldehydes to N1-substituted 2,3-dihydroquinazolin-4(1H)-ones

A facile and direct approach to N1-substituted 2,3-dihydroquinazolin-4(1H)-ones has been developed via Pd(ii)-catalyzed one-pot cascade annulation of N-substituted anilines with CO, NH4OAc and aldehydes, and it features an intrinsic directing strategy, cheap and easily obtainable raw materials, low cost, high step economy and efficiency, broad substrate scope and good product diversity. This protocol has been successfully applied to the synthesis of glycozolone A and gram-level experiments. Based on the control experiments and the literature, the reaction mechanism was proposed.