Microwave-Assisted Selective Nucleopalladation-Triggered Cascade Process: Synthesis of Highly Functionalized 3-Chloro-1<i>H</i>-indenes

A nucleopalladation-triggered cascade transformation of internal alkynes bearing an amino nucleophile and an electrophilic enone was investigated under unconventional microwave-assisted conditions. Among the three possible pathways, the chloropalladation-triggered domino process proceeded selectively to furnish 3-chloro-1<i>H</i>-indenes in good to excellent yields. The reactions under microwave irradiation were completed in 30 min, and the conventional heating required 3-5 h for completion. The yields obtained under nonclassical heating using microwave irradiation are marginally higher (71-97%) than those of the conventional heating conditions (67-96%). The mechanism of this domino process involves chloropalladation of alkynes to deliver σ-vinylpalladium intermediates, intramolecular carbopalladation via Heck-type olefin insertion, and protodepalladation steps. The other two competitive intramolecular aminopalladation-initiated cascades via 7-<i>endo-dig</i> or 6-<i>exo-dig</i> cyclizations leading to oxazepine or benzoxazine scaffolds were not observed.