Chemical fixation of CO2 to 2-aminobenzonitriles: A straightforward route to quinazoline-2,4(1H,3H)-diones with green and sustainable chemistry perspectives

Abstract Quinazoline-2,4(1 H ,3 H )-dione derivatives are important intermediates in the pharmaceutical industry as a key building blocks in the synthesis of many commercially available drugs, including Zenarestat, Prazosin, Bunazosin, and Doxazosin. However, despite their wide importance in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries, safe and environmentally friendly synthesis of titled compounds still remains to be a difficult problem. Therefore, the development of practical and convenient synthetic methods that benefit from nontoxic, inexpensive, readily available, and simple starting materials for their preparation is of prime importance in organic synthesis. Chemical fixation of CO 2 to 2-aminobenzonitriles has emerged over the past few years as a powerful and novel strategy to the synthesis of functionalized quinazoline-2,4(1 H ,3 H )-diones. In this mini review, we have highlighted the advances in this chemistry which will be helpful in the development of improved methods for the green synthesis of these important heterocyclic compounds.