Syntheses of Examples of the 5,6-dihydro-4H-[1,2,3]triazolo[4,5,1-ij]quinoline, 4,5,6,7-tetrahydro[1,2,3]triazolo[4,5,1-jk][1,4]benzodiazepine, and 5,6,7,8-tetrahydro-4H-[1,2,3]triazolo[4,5,1-kl][1]benzazocine ring systems.

Lithiation of 1-vinylbenzotriazole 9 with n-BuLi (2 equiv) generates dianion 10, which upon subsequent reaction with 1,2- and 1,4-diketones affords 14 and 13, representatives of the 5,6-dihydro-4H-[1,2,3]triazolo[4,5,1-ij]quinoline 1 and 5,6,7,8-tetrahydro-4H-[1,2,3]triazolo[4,5,1-kl][1]benzazocine 2 ring systems, respectively. Reactions of dianion 10 with isocyanates give 15a,b, which contain the 4,5,6,7-tetrahydro[1,2,3]triazolo[4,5,1-jk][1,4]benzodiazepine 3 ring system.