Coupling of enamides with alkynes or arynes for synthesis of substituted pyridines and isoquinolines via amide activation

A novel and general procedure for Cu-catalyzed coupling of enamides with alkynes to synthesize substituted pyridines was developed. The chemistry was allowed to extend to the synthesis of substituted isoquinolines by coupling of enamides with arynes under transition-metal-free conditions.