A direct copper-catalyzed route to pyrrolo-fused heterocycles from boronic acids

A convenient route to prepare azaindoles and related pyrrolo-fused heterocycles from boronic acids, DBAD (di-tert-butyl-diazodicarboxylate) and enolizable aldehydes and ketones is presented. The reaction proceeds via a one-pot four-step cascade sequence with key steps involving a copper-catalyzed boronic acid coupling to DBAD and a Fischer indolization providing access to a variety of pharmaceutically interesting heterocycles including pyrrolo-pyridines, -pyrimidines, -quinolines, and -isoquinolines from readily available aza–aryl boronic acid precursors.