found to significantly enhance 4π-ring opening of benzocyclobutenes to generate o-quinodimethanes at 20–25 °C. These iminophosphorane benzocyclobutenes can be conveniently generated from azide benzocyclobutenes and phosphines via the Staudinger reaction. Thus, Staudinger reaction-triggered sequential molecular transformations of the azide benzocyclobutenes have been established via o-quinodimethanes at
Thanks to CHactivation: 3‐Aryl‐3,4‐dihydroisoquinolines (2) are synthesized from bromobenzenes (1) by a sequence comprising a C(sp3)Hactivation, a Curtius rearrangement, and a tandem electrocyclic ring‐opening/6π electrocyclization. This method is applied to the synthesis of various isoquinoline‐containing molecules, including the tetrahydroprotoberberine alkaloid coralydine.