Concise Synthesis of Spirocyclic Dihydrophthalazines through Spiroannulation Reactions of Aryl Azomethine Imines with Cyclic Diazo Compounds.

Spiroannulation reactions are fundamental and invaluable for the synthesis of spirocyclic compounds. Presented herein are novel cascade reactions of aryl azomethine imines with cyclic diazo compounds leading to the formation of spirocyclic dihydrophthalazine derivatives. Based on experimental mechanistic studies, the formation of the title products is believed to go through azomethine imine-assisted cylcometalation, Rh-carbene formation through dediazonization, and migratory insertion followed by reductive elimination and azomethine imine ring opening. Control experiments revealed that air acts as an effective and sustainable co-oxidant to facilitate the cascade reaction. In general, this concise synthesis of the unprecedented spirocyclic dihydrophthalazine derivatives has advantages such as easily accessible substrates, good functional group compatibility, mild reaction conditions, high efficiency and selectivity, and excellent atom-economy. In addition, the value of this protocol is underlined by its ready scalability and divergent derivation of products.