Synthesis of 6H-isoindolo[2,1-a]indol-6-ones through a sequential copper-catalyzed C-N coupling and palladium-catalyzed C–H activation reaction

A series of 6H-isoindolo[2,1-a]indol-6-ones were synthesized through one-pot sequential coupling reactions, which were comprised of a copper-catalyzed C–N coupling cyclization and a palladium-catalyzed C–H activation course. General chemicals benzoyl chlorides and o-gem-dibromovinyl anilines were employed as the starting substrates.