Formation of Cyclopenta[c]pyridine Derivatives from 2,5-Disubstituted Pyrroles and 1,4-Dibromo-1,3-butadienes via Pyrrole-Ring One-Carbon Expansion

Reactions between 1,4-dibromo-1,3-butadienes and 2,5-disubstituted pyrroles afforded cyclopenta[c]pyridine derivatives in high yield, catalyzed by palladium and a cyclopentadiene-phosphine ligand (L1). Insertion of one terminal carbon of the butadienyl skeleton into one C═C double bond in the pyrrole ring resulted in ring expansion, along with a 1,2-shift of an alkyl or an aryl substituent on the butadienes.