Friedel-Crafts alkylation of indoles with trichloroacetimidates

Substituted indole scaffolds are often utilized in medicinal chemistry as they regularly possess significant pharmacological activity. Therefore the development of simple, inexpensive and efficient methods for alkylating the indole heterocycle continues to be an active research area. Reported are reactions of trichloroacetimidate electrophiles and indoles to address the challenges of accessing alkyl decorated indole structures. These alkylations perform best when either the indole or the imidate is functionalized with electron withdrawing groups to avoid polyalkylation.     

Friedel-Crafts alkylation of indoles

The alkylation of indole and 2-methylindole with alkyl halides in the presence of a complex catalyst — dipyridinezinc chloride — was investigated. Nitromethane was used as the solvent. 3-Alkylindoles were obtained in 30–80% yields in all cases. The reaction mechanism is discussed. Data from the PMR and mass spectra are presented.Translated from Khimiya Geterotsiklicheskikh Soedinenii, No. 7, pp. 921–924, July, 1978.     

Diastereoselective Friedel-Crafts alkylation of hydronaphthalenes

An efficient and versatile synthesis of chiral tetralins has been developed using both inter- and intramolecular Friedel-Crafts alkylation as a key step. The readily available hydronaphthalene substrates were prepared via a highly enantioselective metal-catalyzed ring opening of meso-oxabicyclic alkenes followed by hydrogenation. A wide variety of complex tetracyclic compounds have been isolated with high levels of regio-, diastereo-, and enantioselectivity.     

Superacid-catalyzed Friedel-Crafts cyclization of unactivated alkenes

Trifluoromethanesulfonimide is an effective catalyst for Friedel-Crafts cyclizations of simple, nonpolarized alkenes with a variety of pendant arenes. A catalyst loading of 0.5 - 1.0 mol % effects clean cyclization to form 5- to 7-membered carbocycles with generally short reaction times and good to excellent yields under reflux or microwave heating.     

Scandium triflate-catalyzed intramolecular Friedel-Crafts acylation with Meldrum's acids: insight into the mechanism

The intramolecular Friedel-Crafts acylation of arenes with Meldrum's acid derivatives catalyzed by Sc(OTf)₃ was reported as a mild and general entry into functionalized 1-indanones. Mechanistic investigations were undertaken to determine the rate-determining step in the acylation sequence using Meldrum's acid, as well as to examine the role of the Lewis acid catalyst. Enolizable Meldrum's acid derivatives react via an acyl ketene intermediate under thermal conditions, while quaternized Meldrum's acid derivatives are thermally stable and only act as effective Friedel-Crafts acylating agents in the presence of a Lewis acid catalyst. The acylation was postulated to proceed through direct acylation of a Lewis acid-activated carbonyl. In the catalytic Friedel-Crafts acylation of Meldrum's acids, triflic acid appeared to be the active catalytic species, with Sc(OTf)₃ serving as a very mild and convenient reagent for its delivery.     

Diastereoselective intramolecular Friedel-Crafts alkylation of tetralins

An efficient and versatile synthesis of cis-hexahydrobenzophenanthridines starting from readily available tetralins has been developed using an intramolecular Friedel-Crafts alkylation as a key step. The substrates were prepared via a highly stereocontrolled rhodium-catalyzed ring-opening reaction of meso-oxabicyclic alkenes and a hydrogenation sequence. Thus, a wide variety of complex tetracyclic compounds have been isolated with a high level of regio-, diastereo-, and enantioselectivity.     

Lanthanide triflate-catalyzed arene acylation. Relation to classical Friedel-Crafts acylation

Lanthanide trifluoromethanesulfonates, Ln(OTf) 3 (OTf (-) = trifluoromethanesulfonate), serve as effective precatalysts for the rapid, regioselective, intermolecular acylation of activated arenes. This contribution probes mechanism and metal ionic radius effects in the catalytic lanthanide triflate-mediated acylation of anisole with acetic anhydride. Kinetic studies of Ln(OTf) 3 (Ln = La, Eu, Yb, Lu)-mediated anisole acylation with acetic anhydride in nitromethane reveal the rate law nu approximately k 3 [Ln (3+)] (1)[acetic anhydride] (1)[anisole] (1). Eyring and Arrhenius analyses yield Delta H++ = 12.9 (4) kcal.mol (-1), Delta S++ = -44.8 (1.3) e.u., and E a = 13.1 (4) kcal.mol (-1) for Ln = Yb, with the negative Delta S++ implying a highly organized transition state. The observed primary kinetic isotope effect of k H/ k D = 2.6 +/- 0.15 is consistent with arene C-H bond scission in the turnover-limiting step. The proposed catalytic pathway involves precatalyst formation via interaction of Ln(OTf) 3 with acetic anhydride, followed by Ln (3+)-anisole pi-complexation, substrate-electrophile sigma-complex formation, and turnover-limiting C-H bond scission. Lanthanide size effects on turnover frequencies are consistent with a transition state lacking significant ionic radius-dependent steric constraints. Substrate-Ln (3+) interactions using paramagnetic Gd (3+) and Yb (3+) NMR probes and factors affecting reaction rates such as arene substituent and added LiClO 4 cocatalyst are also explored.     

Microwave-assisted silica-supported aluminum chloride-catalyzed Friedel-Crafts alkylation

Microwave irradiation is a popular method in organic synthesis to achieve high yields in shorter reaction times. This decreases total ‘man-hours’ in a synthetic setting. Another technique used in organic chemistry to decrease manual manipulations, is solid support reagents. The benefits of this approach is that upon completion of a reaction, a simple filtration can be performed which expedites the work-up and also produces less organic waste. Friedel-Crafts alkylation has been explored using microwave chemistry as well as with solid-supported reagents. In comparison with traditional heating, as well as with AlCl₃, superior yields were observed with silica-gel bound aluminum chloride (Si-AlCl_x) when microwave irradiated for only 5 min.     

Organocatalytic enantioselective Friedel-Crafts alkylation of simple phenols with trifluoropyruvate

Enantioselective Friedel-Crafts alkylation of simple phenols (4a-j) with 3,3,3-trifluoropyruvate (3) was accomplished by using chiral cinchona alkaloid catalyst 2h (10 mol %). High yields and enantioselectivities (71-94% ee) of the Friedel-Crafts alkylation products were obtained.     

Concise synthesis of aryl-C-nucleosides by Friedel-Crafts alkylation

A fast and simplified synthesis of 1',2'-dideoxy-1'-pyrenyl-riboside and several other C-nucleosides is shown. Shelf-stable 1-O-methyl-3,5-di-O-toluoyl-2-deoxyribose is demonstrated to serve as a versatile glycosyl donor in Lewis acid promoted Friedel-Crafts alkylations of unsubstituted pyrene and other inexpensive arenes such as fluorene and methylnaphthalene. The reaction conditions favour the formation of beta-configurated C-nucleosides which renders additional epimerisation steps unnecessary. As a result, protected beta-aryl-C-nucleosides are available directly from non-substituted arenes in three steps overall.     

Regioselective Friedel-Crafts alkylation of indoles with epoxides using nano MgO

Abstract

3-Alkylindole derivatives were produced by ring opening of epoxides in the presence of magnesium oxide nanoparticles as an efficient catalyst. Solvent-free conditions, stoichiometric amounts of reactants, and improved reaction times and yields are the most important advantages of this method. MgO nanoparticles are synthesized successfully. X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and Brunauer- Emmet-Teller (BET) surface measurement were used to characterize the structure and morphology of the catalyst.     

Friedel-Crafts alkylation of benzene with α,β-unsaturated amides

A variety of α,β-unsaturated amides (RHCCH₂CONR′₂, R=H, Me, Ar; R′=H or Et) readily condense with benzene at room temperature in the presence of an excess of aluminum chloride to give the corresponding 3-phenylpropionamides in excellent yields. This simple, one-pot procedure proved to be efficient and very clean. The mechanism of these and related reactions is discussed and the participation of superelectrophilic dicationic intermediates is suggested.     

阴离子相转移催化的Friedel-Crafts烷基化反应

提出三种阴离子表面活性剂十二烷基苯磺酸钠、十二烷基磺酸钠、十二烷基硫酸钠作为阴离子相转移催化剂特性。研究了它们在Friedel-Crafts反应中的催化性能,结果表明它们都有良好的催化特性合成了七个化合物, 其中五个为未见文献报导的新化合物, 它们是二苯甲基萘酚和二苯甲基酚类化合物。     

New catalytic approaches in the stereoselective Friedel-Crafts alkylation reaction

After more than 125 years, the Friedel–Crafts alkylation is still one of the most studied and most utilized reactions in organic synthesis. What is the secret of this astonishing success? Perhaps the great versatility in scope and applicability continues to justify its crucial role in the synthesis of more and more complex molecules. However, it has taken more than a century for asymmetric catalytic versions of this reaction to be developed and subsequently extended to a range of aromatic compounds and alkylating agents. Herein we review recent developments in the design and use of catalytic and stereoselective strategies for the alkylation of aromatic systems and synthesis of a wide range of polyfunctionalized enantiomerically enriched compounds.     

Metal and acid-free visible light-mediated Friedel-Crafts alkylation reactions of indole with anilines

Metal and acid-free visible light-induced Friedel-Crafts C3-alkylation reactions of indole derivatives were developed using N,N-dimethylanilines as the carbon source. A cheap and readily available organic dye, Rose Bengal, was applied as the photocatalyst. This environmentally friendly transformation afforded C3-alkylated indoles in moderate to good yields under mild conditions.     

Catalyst-free Friedel-Crafts alkylation of naphthols with nitrostyrenes in the presence of water

Accelerated Michael-type Friedel-Crafts alkylation of naphthols with nitrostyrenes in the presence of water is reported. The procedure is simple, catalyst-free, and affords good yields of the products.     

Naphthalene-based calixarenes: unusual regiochemistry of a Friedel-Crafts alkylation

[reaction: see text] In the pursuit of naphthalene-based calixarenes, a Friedel-Crafts alkylation with unusual regiochemistry was observed. Treatment of carbinol 14 with catalytic triflic acid was expected to produce calixarenes of the class represented by 16. Instead, the major product was cyclic trimer 15, in which alkylation of each naphthalene ring occurred at the electronically deactivated position. The structure of compound 15 was assigned by 2-D NMR studies.     

Organocatalytic asymmetric Friedel-Crafts alkylation of indoles with simple alpha,beta-unsaturated ketones

[structure: see text]. The first general and highly enantioselective organocatalytic Friedel-Crafts alkylation of indoles with simple alpha,beta-unsaturated ketones has been accomplished. Central to these studies has been the identification of a new catalyst amine salt, in which both the cation and the anion are chiral, that exhibits high reactivity and selectivity for iminium ion catalysis.