Efficient Syntheses of Imidazolo[1,2-<i>a</i>]pyridines and -[2,1-<i>a</i>]isoquinolines

Abstract

2-Aminopyridines 1a-c and 1-aminoisoquinoline with 1-chloromethylbenzotriazole give 2-amino-1-[alpha-benzotriazol-1-ylmethyl]pyridinium chlorides 2a-c and 1-amino-2-(alpha-benzotriazol-1-ylmethyl)isoquinolinium++ + chloride 12, respectively. Compounds 2a-c and 12 react with aryl aldehydes 3a-h to afford imidazolo[1,2-a]pyridines 7a-k and imidazolo[2, 1-a]isoquinolines 13a,b in good yields.