I2-Mediated [3 + 2] annulation of methyl-azaarenes with alkyl 2-isocyanoacetates or amino acid ester hydrochlorides: selective synthesis of iodine-functionalized and non-iodine-functionalized fused imidazoles

An I 2 -mediated [3 + 2] annulation to access fused imidazoles from methyl-azaarenes and alkyl 2-isocyanoacetates was developed. This method can be used for the structural modification of natural products, gram scale reactions and further transformations.