Ethyl 2,4-dimethylpyrido[1,2-a]benzimidazole-3-carboxylate

The title compound, C16H16N2O2, was synthesized using a novel tandem annulation reaction between 1-(1H-benzo[d]imidazol-2-yl)ethanone and ethyl (E)-4-bromobut-2-enoate under mild conditions. The dihedral angles formed by the mean plane of the five-membered imidazole ring with the dihydropyridin and benzene rings are 1.54 (9) and 1.85 (9)°, respectively.