Guanidine and amidine mediated synthesis of bridgehead triazaphenalenes, pyrimidines and pyridines through domino reactions

An efficient and concise synthesis of 8-amino-2,5-diaryl-1,9,9b-triazaphenalene-4-carbonitriles has been delineated through two successive base catalyzed heteroaromatic annulations of 6-aryl-4-(piperidin-1-yl)-2H-pyran-2-one-3-carbonitriles by guanidine hydrochloride in moderate yield. This reaction was further explored through the ring transformation of 4 with amidines 8 and 11 to afford (2,6-diarylpyrimidin-4-yl)acetonitriles and 6-aryl-4-(piperidine-1-yl)nicotinonitriles in excellent yields.