One-pot construction of fused polycyclic heteroarenes involving 7-azaindoles and α,β-unsaturated ketones.

A novel one-pot synthesis of π-conjugated polycyclic compounds, which could undergo further facile transformation to form complex polycyclic heteroarene compounds, has been realized between 7-azaindoles and α,β-unsaturated ketones. This distinctive cascade process proceeds via a rhodium(iii)-catalyzed alkylation/copper-catalyzed radical annulation-aromatization pathway.