Literally hundreds of borazines, (RBNR')3, are known, but only relatively few unsymmetrically substituted derivatives of the six-membered B3N3 heterocycle have been characterized and their chemistry has hardly been explored.1 The most readily available

An iron-catalyzed methylene forming strategy is disclosed through sequential C–H and C–O bond functionalization of methanol with cosolvent water. This protocol provides an easy and novel access to methylene-tethered imidazo­[1,2-a]­pyridine and 2-aminopyridine analogues in a sustainable manner and represents a complementary approach to traditional methylene forming strategies.

We herein develop a selective phosphoranation of alkynes with phosphonium cation, which directs a concise approach to isoquinolines from unactivated alkyne and nitrile feedstocks in a single step. Mechanistic studies suggest that the annulation reaction is initiated by the unprecedented phosphoranation of alkynes, thus representing a unique reaction pattern of phosphonium salts and distinguishing it from existing protocols that largely rely on the utilization of highly functionalized imines/oximes and/or highly polarized alkynes.