Polycyclic Indoline-Benzodiazepines through Electrophilic Additions of α-Imino Carbenes to Tröger Bases.

Polycyclic indoline-benzodiazepines can be accessed through the intermolecular reaction of Tröger bases with N-sulfonyl-1,2,3-triazoles. Under Rh catalysis, α-imino carbenes are generated and a subsequent cascade of [1,2]-Stevens, Friedel-Crafts, Grob, and aminal formation reactions yield the polycyclic heterocycles as single isomers (d.r.>49:1, four stereocenters including two bridgehead N atoms). Further ring expansion by insertion of a second α-imino carbene leads to elaborated polycyclic 9-membered-ring triazonanes.