Microwave enhanced greener synthesis of indazoles via nitrenes

Non-traditional methods (grinding, water-based biphasic reactions, microwave chemistry) were used for the preparation of Schiff bases from several amines and 2-nitrobenzaldehydes. These nitro compounds were allowed to react with triethyl phosphite under microwave irradiation for the generation of nitrenes that underwent insertion reactions to form indazoles. This procedure constitutes an energy-efficient, greener chemistry version of the Cadogan reaction for nitrene-based formation of nitrogen heterocycles.