A highly efficient route to C-3 alkyl-substituted indoles via a metal-free transfer hydrogenation

A highly efficient route to C-3 alkyl-substituted indoles via completely metal-free catalytic transfer hydrogenation of 3-indolemethanols was developed. This process proceeds via vinylogous iminium intermediates formed in situ in the presence of Brønsted acids, and Hantzsch ester is used as the reductant. The reduction works extremely well with a large substrate scope, and the yields exceed 90% in almost all cases.     

Regiospecific hydrogenation of quinolines and indoles in the heterocyclic ring

Quinolines, indoles, acridine, and carbazole were hydrogenated using a large variety of heterogeneous catalysts in hydrocarbon solvents in an effort to achieve selective hydrogenation of the heterocyclic ring. When quinolines were hydrogenated using supported platinum, palladium, rhodium, ruthenium, or nickel metal catalysts in the presence of hydrogen sulfide, carbon disulfide, or carbon monoxide, there was exclusive hydrogenation of the heterocyclic ring to give only 1,2,3,4-tetrahydroquinolines. Use of iridium, rhenium, molybdenum(VI) oxide, tungsten(VI) oxide, chromium(III) oxide, iron(III) oxide, cobalt(II) oxide-molybdenum(VI) oxide, or copper chromite catalysts also caused exclusive hydrogenation of the heterocyclic ring even without addition of sulfur Compounds or carbon monoxide. Hydrogenation of indoles using platinum, rhenium, or, in some cases, nickel catalysts (with or without sulfur Compounds) occurred exclusively in the heterocyclic ring to give indolines, but conversions were affected by indole-indoline equilibria.     

Highly Enantioselective Synthesis of Indolines: Asymmetric Hydrogenation at Ambient Temperature and Pressure with Cationic Ruthenium Diamine Catalysts

A highly enantioselective synthesis of indolines by asymmetric hydrogenation of 1H‐indoles and 3H‐indoles at ambient temperature and pressure, catalyzed by chiral phosphine‐free cationic ruthenium complexes, has been developed. Excellent enantio‐ and diastereoselectivities (up to >99 % ee, >20:1 d.r.) were obtained for a wide range of indole derivatives, including unprotected 2‐substituted and 2,3‐disubstituted 1H‐indoles, as well as 2‐alkyl‐ and 2‐aryl‐substituted 3H‐indoles.     

Ruthenium-catalyzed asymmetric hydrogenation of N-boc-indoles

Highly enantioselective hydrogenation of various N-Boc-indoles proceeded successfully in the presence of the ruthenium complex generated from an appropriate ruthenium precursor and a trans-chelate chiral bisphosphine PhTRAP. Various 2- or 3-substituted indoles were converted into chiral indolines with high enantiomeric excesses (up to 95% ee). The PhTRAP-ruthenium catalyst was able to promote the hydrogenation of 2,3-dimethylindoles, giving cis-2,3-dimethylindolines with 72% ee.     

Highly chemoselective reduction using a Rh/C-Fe(OAc)2 system: practical synthesis of functionalized indoles

Here, we report a highly effective and chemoselective method of preparing substituted indoles from (E)-2-nitropyrrolidinostyrenes via hydrogenation in the presence of a rhodium catalyst doped by additives such as Ni(NO₃)₂·6H₂O, Fe(OAc)₂ or Co(acac)₃. These hydrogenation conditions may also be applied to other substrates. Aromatic nitro compounds and olefins can be selectively reduced in the presence of aromatic benzyl ethers, aromatic halides and aromatic aldehydes.     

Synthesis of 7-cyano- and 7-acetamido-indoles via cyanocarbonation/hydrogenation of 7-formyl indole

A procedure for the synthesis of 7-cyano and 7-acetamido indoles via cyanocarbonation/hydrogenation of 7-formyl indole is presented. The process can be efficiently scaled up to provide multigram quantities of the desired compounds in good yield. A small survey of substrate scope indicates that the reaction may prove generally useful for the synthesis of aryl acetonitriles.     

Organocatalytic Asymmetric Arylative Dearomatization of 2,3‐Disubstituted Indoles Enabled by Tandem Reactions

The organocatalytic asymmetric arylative dearomatization of indoles was achieved through two tandem approaches involving 2,3‐disubstituted indoles and quinone imine ketals. One approach utilized the enantioselective cascade 1,4 addition/alcohol elimination reaction, the other employed the one‐pot tandem arylative dearomatization/transfer hydrogenation sequence. In both cases, enantiomerically pure indole derivatives that bear an all‐carbon quaternary stereogenic center were generated in high yields and excellent stereoselectivities (all d.r.>95:5, up to 99 % ee).     

A Simple Iridicycle Catalyst for Efficient Transfer Hydrogenation of N‐Heterocycles in Water

A cyclometalated iridium complex is shown to catalyse the transfer hydrogenation of various nitrogen heterocycles, including but not limited to quinolines, isoquinolines, indoles and pyridinium salts, in an aqueous solution of HCO₂H/HCO₂Na under mild conditions. The catalyst shows excellent functional‐group compatibility and high turnover number (up to 7500), with catalyst loadings as low as 0.01 mol % being feasible. Mechanistic investigation of the quinoline reduction suggests that the transfer hydrogenation proceeds via both 1,2‐ and 1,4‐addition pathways, with the catalytic turnover being limited by the step of hydride transfer.     

A new electronically deficient atropisomeric diphosphine ligand (S)-CF3O-BiPhep and its application in asymmetric hydrogenation

A new electronically deficient atropisomeric diphosphine ligand (S)-CF₃O-BiPhep was synthesized from 1-bromo-3-(trifluoromethoxy)benzene in high yield. The key steps included oxidative coupling with anhydrous ferric chloride and optical resolution by (+)-DMTA. The ligand afforded high performance for Ir-catalyzed asymmetric hydrogenation of quinolines with ee up to 92% and TON up to 25,000. It was also successfully applied to the Pd-catalyzed asymmetric hydrogenation of simple indoles with ee up to 87% and Rh-catalyzed asymmetric 1,4-addition of phenylboronic acid to 2-cyclohexenone with 97% ee.     

Synthesis of 1-substituted-2,3,4,9-tetrahydro-(2-oxopropyl)-1H-pyrido [3,4-b] indoles and their base-catalyzed rearrangements to N- [2-[2-(1-alkyl-3-oxobutenyl)-1H-indol-3-yl] ethyl]acetamides

The condensation of 1H-indole-3-ethanamides, 1 , with 2,4-pentanediones, 2 , gave enamines 3 . Acid catalyzed ring closure of 3 gave 1-(1-substituted-2,3,4,9-tetrahydro- (2-oxopropyl) -1H-pyrido [3,4-b] indoles 4 . Subsequent N-acetylation yielded 5 which sequentially produced 2,3-disubstituted indoles 6 and 7 resulting from C? N bond cleavage after treatment with sodium alkoxide in ethanol. Controlled catalytic hydrogenation of the latter gave saturated derivatives 8 and 9 .     

Catalytic asymmetric hydrogenation of indoles using a rhodium complex with a chiral bisphosphine ligand PhTRAP

Highly enantioselective hydrogenation of N-protected indoles was successfully developed by use of the rhodium catalyst generated in situ from [Rh(nbd)₂]SbF₆ and the chiral bisphosphine PhTRAP, which can form a trans-chelate complex with a transition metal atom. The PhTRAP–rhodium catalyst required a base (e.g., Cs₂CO₃) for the achievement of high enantioselectivity. Various 2-substituted N-acetylindoles were converted into the corresponding chiral indolines with up to 95% ee. The hydrogenations of 3-substituted N-tosylindoles yielded indolines possessing a stereogenic center at the 3-position with high enantiomeric excesses (up to 98% ee).     

Synthetic transformations of higher terpenoids: XVI. Synthesis of decahydronaphtho[1,2-g]indoles from lambertianic acid

Oxidative methoxylation of 8,17-isopropylidenedioxy derivative of lambertianic acid methyl ester with N-chlorobenzenesulfonamide in methanol, followed by hydrogenation over Raney nickel, gave rise to a 2,5-dimethoxytetrahydrofuran fragment which was converted into N-substituted pyrrole ring by the action of amines in acetic acid. The subsequent removal of the acetonide protection and periodate cleavage of the diols thus formed resulted in the formation of 17-nor-8-oxo derivatives, and the latter underwent smooth cyclization to decahydronaphtho[1,2-g]indoles in acid medium.     

A Palladium‐Nanoparticle and Silicon‐Nanowire‐Array Hybrid: A Platform for Catalytic Heterogeneous Reactions

We report the development of a silicon nanowire array‐stabilized palladium nanoparticle catalyst, SiNA‐Pd. Its use in the palladium‐catalyzed Mizoroki‐Heck reaction, the hydrogenation of an alkene, the hydrogenolysis of nitrobenzene, the hydrosilylation of an α,β‐unsaturated ketone, and the C‐H bond functionalization reactions of thiophenes and indoles achieved a quantitative production with high reusability. The catalytic activity reached several hundred‐mol ppb of palladium, reaching a TON of 2 000 000.     

Brønsted acid activation strategy in transition-metal catalyzed asymmetric hydrogenation of N-unprotected imines, enamines, and N-heteroaromatic compounds

Asymmetric hydrogenation plays an important role in organic synthesis, but that of the challenging substrates such as N‐unprotected imines, enamines, and N‐heteroaromatic compounds (1H‐indoles, 1H‐pyrroles, pyridines, quinolines, and quinoxalines) has only received increased attention in the past three years. Considering the interaction modes of a Brønsted acid with a Lewis base, Brønsted acids may be used as the ideal activators of C?N bonds. This Minireview summarizes the recent advances in transition‐metal‐catalyzed, Brønsted acid activated asymmetric hydrogenation of these challenging substrates, thus offering a promising substrate activation strategy for transformations involving C?N bonds.     

Synthesis of functional 2-substituted 4-phenyl-9H-pyrimido[4,5-b]indoles

A method was developed for the synthesis of 2-oxo-4-phenyl-2,3-dihydro-9H-pyrimido[4,5-b]indole as well as of 2-chloro- and 2-nitramino-4-phenylpyrimido[4,5-b]indoles. The replacement of the chlorine atom in 2-chloropyrimidoindole gave rise to a number of its functional derivatives (morpholino, azido, and cyano). The reaction of 2-chloro-substituted pyrimidoindole with hydrazine hydrate and catalytic hydrogenation of 2-nitraminopyrimidoindole were studied.     

Indirect regioselective heteroarylation of indoles through a Friedel-Crafts reaction with (E)-1,4-diaryl-2-buten-1,4-diones

A two-step synthesis of 3-heteroaryl indoles has been developed. The first step of the sequence involves a Friedel-Crafts alkylation of indoles with 1,4-diaryl-2-buten-1,4-diones to give the corresponding indoles bearing a 1,4-dicarbonyl moiety. The reaction is catalyzed by InCl₃ and takes place with good yields. Cyclization of the diones under different Paal-Knorr conditions allows to prepare indoles substituted at the C3 position with 3-furanyl, 3-pyrrolyl- and 3-thienyl moieties.     

Facile access to polysubstituted indoles via a cascade Cu-catalyzed arylation-condensation process

Cu(I)/L-proline-catalyzed cross-coupling of 2-halotrifluoroacetanilides with beta-keto esters and amides followed by in situ acidic hydrolysis delivered 2,3-disubstituted indoles. The halides bearing a strong electron-withdrawing group in the 4-position can undergo in situ basic hydrolysis to provide the corresponding indoles. Polysubstituted indoles can be prepared from substituted 2-halotrifluoroacetanilides with high regioselectivity.     

Studies on the overproduction of indole-containing metabolites by a methanol-utilizing yeast

Production of indole-containing metabolites (“indoles”) from methanol has been studied using a mutant ofHansenula polymorpha resistant to 5-fluorotryptophan. Whereas the wild-type culture produces only a small amount of indoles, the mutant is partially deregulated and overproduces indoles. Indoles production was studied in batch and continuous culture and in a washed-cell system. When the pH was above 4.0, indoles production was growth-associated, in both minimal and complex media, and batch or continuous culture. When the pH was below or equal to 4.0, a low phosphate concentration was found to improve production. In a phosphate-deficient washed-cell suspension system, the addition of an amino acid such as methionine at 5 mM increased specific productivity by more than 60%. Addition of cycloheximide at 50 mg/L decreased residual growth and increased maximum productivity of indoles by more than 60%. When the antibiotic was added at 1000 mg/L, growth was completely inhibited and indoles production continued for about 35 h.     

Synthesis of hydrogenated 2,7-dimethylpyrrolo[3,4-<Emphasis Type="Italic">b</Emphasis>]indoles – analogs of dimebon

A schemes have been proposed for the synthesis of novel 4-substituted 2,7-dimethyl-3,4-dihydro-1H- and previously unknown 2,7-dimethyl-cis-1,2,3,3a,4,8b-hexahydropyrrolo[3,4-b]indoles. In the case of the Dimebon structural analog 2,7-dimethyl-4-[2-(6-methylpyridin-3-yl)ethyl]-3,4-dihydro-1H-pyrrolo-[3,4-b]indole a broad spectrum of pharmacological activity was found in the hydrogenated pyrroloindoles suitable for the development of medicines via the “magic bullet” concept. A strong dependence of the antagonist relationship of the synthesized compounds towards histamine H₁ and serotonin 5-HT₆ receptors with the nature of the substituent in the 4 position and the degree of hydrogenation of the pyrrolo[3,4-b]indoles was demonstrated.