Palladium-Catalyzed C–H Activation and Cyclization of Anilides with 2-Iodoacetates and 2-Iodobenzoates: An Efficient Method toward Oxindoles and Phenanthridones

A concise approach to the synthesis of oxindoles and phenanthridones from anilides is described. In the presence of catalytic amount of Pd(OAc) 2 , 2-iodoacetates and 2-iodobenzoates can be used to functionalize ortho C–H bond of anilides, which subsequently undergo intramolecular cyclization to give the products. A possible reaction mechanism that involves a Pd II /Pd IV catalytic cycle is proposed with the support of detailed mechanistic studies.