Aromatic Nucleophilic Denitrocyclization Reactions

Abstract

Sufficiently activated aromatic nitro groups are known to undergo replacement with various nucleophiles. Intramolecular version of this reaction is called aromatic denitrocyclization reaction. Five-, six-, seven-, and even eight-membered rings are formed with oxygen, sulfur, nitrogen, and carbon nucleophiles involved. The present review covers the most important reactions of this type, such as the Turpin reaction and similar methods of preparation leading to phenothiazines, dihydrophenazines, dithiines, and dioxines, as well as some less frequent interesting reactions of this type.