A novel procedure for hydride-induced anionic cyclization has been developed. It includes the reduction of a biaryl bromo-nitrile with a nucleophilic aromatic substitution (S(N)Ar). A range of polysubstituted 6-H-phenanthridines were so obtained in moderate to good yield with good substrate tolerance. This method involves a concise transition-metal-free process and was applied to synthesize natural alkaloids.

An efficient and concise procedure for the ligand-free copper-catalyzed cascade reaction of C–O and C–N bond coupling was developed to afford various (NH)-phenanthridinones.

A novel procedure for the cascade reaction of the addition of a Grignard reagent to a nitrile with a copper-catalyzed C-N bond coupling was developed, which afforded various polysubstituted phenanthridines in moderate to good yields with tolerance for a wide variety of substrates. Experimental data demonstrated that the reaction proceeded more likely through a Cu(I/III) catalytic cycle.

A novel method for a hydride‐induced anionic ring‐closure is used to synthesize phenanthridines.

A novel synthesis of phenanthridines is developed utilizing the addition reaction of Grignard reagents to nitriles followed by copper‐catalyzed intramolecular C‐N bond coupling.