A two-layer planarization (TLP) process has been developed to solve the profile variation problems encountered in conventional planarization. All the topographic features are smoothed down regardless of their size and spacing. The TLP process involves first, a positive photoresist layer spun onto the substrate and exposed through a negative of the mask of the pattern. After development and cure, a second layer is spun on in order to flatten the residual undulations. The final result is a completely fiat surface.

Two different Smiles rearrangements can be combined to afford a multicomponent formation of isoquinolinones and isoindolinones from nitro methyl salicylate. After a Ugi-Smiles four-component coupling, the base-triggered cyclization of the resulting adduct is followed by a ring contraction via a Truce-Smiles rearrangement.