Highly efficient cascade involving Michael addition and Baeyer–Drewson reaction is triggered by cyanide anion and transforms ortho-nitrochalcones into 2-(3-oxoindolin-2-ylidene)acetonitriles.

An acid-assisted [4 + 1]-cycloaddition of indoles with nitrostyrenes affords 4′H-spiro­[indole-3,5′-isoxazoles] in a diastereomerically pure form. Several of these spirocyclic molecules exhibit promising anticancer activity by reducing viability and inducing differentiation of neuroblastoma cells.

Imidazolines were assembled via an unusual reaction between nitroalkanes and aliphatic 1,2-diamines in the presence of phosphorous acid.

A highly efficient and expeditious one-pot approach towards 2-(3-oxoindolin-2-yl)acetonitriles was designed, which involves a base-assisted aldol reaction of ortho-nitroacetophenones, followed by hydrocyanation, triggering an unusual reductive cyclization reaction.

We discovered a reaction of nitroalkanes with 2-hydrazinylquinolines, 2-hydrazinylpyridines and bis-2,4-dihydrazinylpyrimidines in polyphosphoric acid (PPA) affording 1,2,4-triazolo[4,3-a]quinolines, 1,2,4-triazolo[4,3-a]pyridines and bis[1,2,4]triazolo[4,3-a:4',3'-c]pyrimidines, respectively. The reaction expands the scope of heterocyclic annulations involving...