Transition metal free Brønsted acid mediated synthesis of biologically important pyrido[1,2-a]indole scaffolds through aza-Nazarov type cyclization of readily available diaryl(2-pyridyl)methanol using formic acid has been developed. This methodology has been successfully extended to synthesize atropisomers.

The cover picture shows the crystal structure of a new, orange, Ca‐containing pigment lake derived from diazo coupling of orthanilic acid to 4‐morpholino‐2‐naphthol. The crystal structure is of a novel type in which the morpholino substituent has prevented the formation of a 1‐dimensional polymeric system, which is common to previously reported naphthol‐derived pigment lakes. The pigment has been obtained in three physical forms; as a hydrate, a DMSO solvate and as a desolvated form. Azo dyes derived from 4‐morpholino‐2‐naphthol exhibit a small hypsochromic shift but with enhanced molar absorbtivity compared with dyes derived from 2‐naphthol. This pigment lake may have application for the coloration of inks, paints and plastics. Details are discussed in the article by B. M. Heron et al. on

An efficient and practical method for the synthesis of benzylpyridines has been developed using aqueous hydroiodic acid in acetic acid.

An unusual trinuclear cobalt complex was successfully isolated and characterized in the Co(OAc) 2 · 4H 2 O-catalyzed aerobic oxidation of pyridine-based secondary alcohols. In this complex, a cobalt ion (the one in the middle, labeled Co2) has a novel trigonal-prismatic structure coordinated with six oxygen atoms from the substrate. The molecular oxygen present in air plays a major role in enabling this transformation to be catalytic. This aerobic catalytic reaction is very selective to pyridine-based secondary alcohols over primary alcohols.

Domino Aziridine Ring Opening and Buchwald-Hartwig Type Coupling--Cyclization by Palladium Catalyst. -This method gives 1,4-benzoxazine derivatives in good yields. -(RAO, R. K.; KARTHIKEYAN, I.; SEKAR*, G.; Tetrahedron 68 (2012) 44, 9090-9094, http://dx.