Regiodivergent catalytic asymmetric dearomative cycloaddition of bicyclic heteroaromatics

The catalytic dearomative cycloaddition of bicyclic heteroaromatics including benzofurans and indoles provides rapid access to functionalized heterocyclic molecules. Because of the inherent stereoelectronic differences, the furan or pyrrole nucleus is more prone to dearomative cycloaddition than the benzene ring. Here, we realized a geometry-based differentiation approach for achieving C6-C7 and C7-C7a regioselectivity. The rotationally restricted σ bond at C7 position respectively placed the C6-C7 and C7-C7a sites of benzofurans or indoles in an optimal spatial orientation toward the axially chiral heterodiene, thus affording two enantioenriched polycyclic compounds from a single racemic heterobiaryl atropisomers. Calculation results of density functional theory interpreted the mechanism of this parallel kinetic resolution. The bioactivity of the dearomatized products was evaluated in cancer cell lines with certain compounds exhibiting interesting biological activities.