Indium mediated reductive heterocyclization of 2-nitroacylbenzenes or 2-nitroiminobenzenes toward 2,1-benzisoxazoles in aqueous media

2-Nitro-substituted acylbenzenes or iminobenzenes such as 2-nitrobenzaldehydes, 2′-nitroacetophenone, and N-(2-nitrobenzylidene)anilines were cyclized toward 2,1-benzisoxazoles in the presence of 2-bromo-2-nitropropane and indium in an MeOH/H2O solution in excellent yields.