One-pot synthesis of 1,2,3-triazole tethered benzimidazo[1,2-a]quinolines through a multi-component reaction is demonstrated. The domino/cascade reaction proceeds via click reaction, in which 1,2,3-triazole motif augment methylene group reactivity/N–C bond formation/Knoevenagel condensation in sequence. Overall one C–C bond and three C–N bonds are formed in a single step. In addition, photophysical properties of these new compounds were studied and compound 5u emerged as good fluorogenic substrate with quantum yield ∼0.21.
![Graphical abstract: Multicomponent cascade reaction: dual role of copper in the synthesis of 1,2,3-triazole tethered benzimidazo[1,2-a]quinoline and their photophysical studies](http://hg.y866.cn/compound/lib/scimg/usr/1/C5RA24048D.jpg)