Palladium-catalyzed carbonylative [3+2+1] annulation of N-aryl-pyridine-2-amines with internal alkynes by C-H activation: facile synthesis of 2-quinolinones

We describe here a novel procedure for the synthesis of highly substituted 2-quinolinones. By this newly developed approach, 2-quinolinone derivatives were prepared in moderate to good yields by carbonylative cyclization of N-aryl-pyridine-2-amines and internal alkynes by CH activation. Remarkably, [Mo(CO)6 ] was applied as a solid CO source and the reaction proceeded in an atom economic manner.