A Novel Synthesis of Quinazolines by Cyclization of 1‐(2‐Isocyanophenyl)alkylideneamines Generated by the Treatment of 2‐(1‐Azidoalkyl)phenyl Isocyanides with NaH

A new and efficient method for the synthesis of quinazolines has been developed. Thus, N-[2-(1-azidoalkyl)phenyl]formamides 1 are dehydrated with POCl3 to give the corresponding 2-(1-azidoalkyl)phenyl isocyanides 2, which are then treated with NaH in DMF at 0° to give quinazolines 6 in satisfactory yields via cyclization of 1-(2-isocyanophenyl)alkylideneamine intermediates 4. This methodology can be applied to the synthesis of the 7-azaanalogs of quinazolines, i.e., pyrido[3,4-d]pyrimidines 9.