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Updated: Mar 25, 2026

Synthesis of Hypervalent Iodonium Alkynyl Triflates for the Application of Generating Cyanocarbenes
Published on: September 8, 2013
Cyclization of Alkyne-Azide with Isonitrile/CO via Self-Relay Rhodium Catalysis
Zhen Zhang1, Fan Xiao1, Baoliang Huang1
1Department of Applied Chemistry, China Agricultural University , Beijing 100193, China.
Abstract:
A self-relay rhodium(I)-catalyzed cyclization of alkyne-azides with two σ-donor/π-acceptor ligands (isonitriles and CO) to form sequentially multiple-fused heterocycle systems via tandem nitrene transformation and aza-Pauson-Khand cyclization has been developed. In this approach, an intriguing chemoselective insertion process of isonitriles superior to CO was observed. This reaction provides an alternative strategy to synthesize functionalized pyrrolo[2,3-b]indole scaffolds.
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