An investigation of a palladium catalysed biaryl synthesis of pyrrolophenanthridine derivatives. Extension of the Heck reaction.

N-Benzylisatin derivatives have been found to readily undergo cyclisation v ia hydrogen halide elimination in a biaryl synthesis reaction when using pa lladium catalysts, in the absence of phosphine ligands, to yield oxopyrrolo [3,2,1-de]phenanthridine derivatives.