A new strategy for the direct synthesis of quinazolinones from o-aminobenzonitriles was proposed and accomplished. In the presence of [Cp*IrCl₂]₂ (Cp*=pentamethylcyclopentadienyl), a variety of desirable products was obtained easily through the one-pot sequential selective hydration/condensation/acceptorless dehydrogenation. This protocol is highly attractive because it uses readily available starting materials, has a high atom efficiency, good to excellent yields, and minimal consumption of chemicals and energy. Notably, this research exhibited new potential for the development of transition-metal-catalyzed one-pot sequential reactions that involve acceptorless dehydrogenation.

A strategy for the synthesis of α-alkylated ketones via one-pot, sequential, catalytic hydration of alkynes and α-alkylation with alcohols was proposed and successfully accomplished. In the presence of chloro[1,3-bis(2,6-diisopropylphenyl)imidazol-2-ylidene]gold(I) ([(IPr)AuCl])/silver triflate (AgOTf) and water, a series of alkynes are first hydrated to give the corresponding methyl ketones, which in turn are α-alkylated by adding pentamethylcyclopentadienyliridium(III) chloride ([Cp*IrCl₂]₂)/KOtBu and alcohols to the reaction mixture. Notably, this reaction is highly attractive because of easily available starting materials, high atom efficiency, good to excellent yields, and minimal consumption of chemicals and energy. The present research will also facilitate the development of one-pot, sequential, catalytic reactions based on “hydrogen autotransfer” (or “hydrogen-borrowing”) processes.

A protocol for the synthesis of N,N′-alkyl aryl ureas and N,N′-dialkyl ureas by transition metal-catalyzed regioselective N3-alkylation of the N-monosubstituted ureas with alcohols was proposed and accomplished. In the presence of an iridium/base system, the desired N,N′-alkyl aryl ureas and N,N′-dialkyl ureas were obtained with 70–93 % yields, and no isomeric N1-alkylated and N3-dialkylated products were formed in all cases. From both synthetic and environmental point of views, the reaction is highly attractive because of easily available starting materials, high atom efficiency and the formation of water as the only side product. Apparently, the research opens up the design of regioselective N-alkylation of amines with alcohols based on the regioselective condensation of amines with aldehydes, facilitating the progress of the “hydrogen autotransfer” (or “hydrogen-borrowing”) process.