Metal-free synthesis of quinazolinone from 2-amino benzonitrile in the presence of formic acid as a C1 source

Quinazolinones are primarily found in natural products and serve as the basic building blocks in a plethora of commercially available drugs. Quinazolinones are nitrogen-containing heterocyclic compounds having a range of biological activities. The traditional synthesis of quinazolinone often employs toxic and environmentally harmful chemicals, making it imperative to find alternative green chemistry routes. In this study, we report the synthesis of quinazolinones from 2-aminobenzonitrile employing formic acid as a C1 source in the presence of triethylamine as a base. This study’s main objective is to develop a catalyst-free synthesis method, utilizing the green chemistry principles of atom economy and reducing toxicity. The reaction was conducted under mild conditions and provided high yields of the target compounds. The findings demonstrate that this simple and efficient synthetic approach is a promising alternative to conventional routes and provides a sustainable solution for synthesising quinazolinone derivatives. The current strategy enabled broad substrate scope for synthesizing quinazolinones with good to excellent yields.