Skeletal editing of pyridines to aryldialdehydes

Electron-deficient nitrogen-containing aromatic heterocycles, particularly pyridine derivatives, can be converted into all-carbon aromatic frameworks via the ANRORC (Addition of Nucleophile, Ring-Opening, and Ring-Closing) skeletal editing process, providing a convenient tool for molecular diversification. However, reported methods are mainly limited to nucleophilic modification of ring-opening species. Herein, we report a distinct electrophilic modification method, smoothly converting pyridines into arene-1,3-dialdehydes or naphthalene-1,3-dialdehydes.