Synthesis of 3,4-dihydroquinazolin-4-one: selenium-catalyzed reductive N-heterocyclization of N-(2-nitrobenzoyl)amides with carbon monoxide

A catalytic synthetic method of 3,4-dihydroquinazolin-4-ones has been developed. When N-(2-nitrobenzoyl)amides were treated with carbon monoxide in the presence of a catalytic amount of selenium, reductive N-heterocyclization of N-(2-nitrobenzoyl)amide efficiently proceeded to give the corresponding 3,4-dihydroquinazolin-4-ones in moderate to good yields.