Rhodium(II)‐Catalyzed Regioselective C3‐Alkylation of 2‐Arylimidazo[1,2‐a]pyridines with Aryl Diazoesters.

A regioselective C3‐alkylation based on the reaction of 2‐arylimidazo[1,2‐a]pyridines with a wide range of aryl α‐diazoesters in the presence of a Rh(II) catalyst in dichloroethane at room temperature was developed. This method could be applied in the synthesis of benzoimidazoquinolizinone and cycloheptaimidazopyridinone, which are novel heterocyclic scaffolds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]