Rh(III)-catalyzed [5+1] oxidative cycloaddition of arylguanidines with alkynes: a novel access to C4-disubstituted 1,4-dihydroquinazolin-2-amines.

A novel and mild Rh(III)-catalyzed [5+1] oxidative cycloaddition between arylguanidines and alkynes efficiently affords C4-disubstituted 1,4-dihydroquinazolin-2-amines. Members of this family of heterocycles, which contain the relevant cyclic guanidine units, have shown interesting pharmacological properties. The mechanism probably involves the formation of an eight-membered rhodacycle in which the imine unit of guanidine is coordinated to the Rh center. This rhodacycle would evolve to give the C-4 disubstituted 1,4-dihydroquinazolin-2-amine skeleton.