Palladium-catalyzed reductive N-heterocyclization of alkenyl-substituted nitroarenes as a viable method for the preparation of bicyclic pyrrolo-fused heteroaromatic compounds

Palladium-catalyzed, carbon monoxide-mediated reductive N-heterocyclization of nitro-heteroaromatic compounds having an alkene adjacent to the nitro-group affords bicyclic pyrrolo-fused heteroaromatic molecules. This type of reaction was used to prepare the fused bicyclo[3.3.0] ring-system: thieno[3,2-b]pyrrole, thieno[2,3-b]pyrrole, furo[2,3-b]pyrrole, pyrrolo[3,2-d]thiazole, and pyrrolo[2,3-d]imidazole and the bicyclo[4.3.0] ring-systems: pyrrolo[3,2-b]pyridine, pyrrolo[2,3-b]pyridine, pyrrolo[3,2-c]pyridine, pyrrolo[2,3-c]pyridine, pyrrolo[3,2-c]pyridazine, and pyrrolo[3,2-d]pyrimidine in 32–94% yield.