Facile 5-endo ring closures to the azo group. A free radical synthesis of indazoles

Five 1-alkyl-3-methylindazoles were prepared by treatment of 1-(2-bromophenyl)-1-methoxy-1-(2-alkylazo)ethanes with tri-n-butyl stannane and AIBN at 80 °C in benzene. Yields in the radical cyclization step ranged from 39 to 92%. 1-Phenyl-3-methylindazole was prepared by an analogous route but in very poor yield (<5%). Rate constants for the 5-endo radical closures [Formula: see text], estimated by the radical clock method, were 5.2 × 109 s−1 and 9.2 × 108 s−1 for two of the alkyl systems. Rate constants for analogous 5-endo cyclizations of aryl radicals onto C—C double bonds are much smaller than those for cyclizations to the azo functional group. Keywords: cyclization, radical; azo group, radical closure to; indazoles, radical synthesis of.