Metal/Benzoyl Peroxide (BPO)-Controlled Chemoselective Cycloisomerization of (o-Alkynyl)phenyl Enaminones: Synthesis of α-Naphthylamines and Indeno[1,2-c]pyrrolones

Synthetic methods involving chemoselective tandem reactions for the synthesis of alpha-naphthylamines and indeno[1,2-c]pyrrolones starting from (o-aklynyl)phenyl enaminones are described. When reactions were carried out in N,N-dimethylformamide (DMF) using a AgNO3 catalyst, alpha-naphthylamines were obtained in up to 89% isolated yields within 2 h. Whereas indeno[1,2-c]pyrrolones were produced in high isolated yields in the presence of benzoyl peroxide (BPO) and CuCl catalysis.