Direct annulation and alkylation of indoles with 2-aminobenzyl alcohols catalyzed by TFA

An efficient method for the annulation of indoles with 2-aminobenzyl alcohols, catalyzed by TFA, to furnish 5,6-fused indoline aminals is reported. This method can be extended to the alkylation of indoles at C3. 2-Aminobenzyl alcohols are used directly without recourse to protection of the aniline nitrogen or activation of the alcohol.     

C-2/c-3 annulation and C-2 alkylation of indoles with 2-alkoxycyclopropanoate esters

The annulation reaction between various indoles and 2-alkoxycyclopropanoate esters is reported. Both high efficiency and complete stereochemical control were observed in some cases with this annulation process. A single stereocenter on the cyclopropane controls the diastereoselective formation of up to four new stereocenters. A different reaction course was observed with 3-substituted indole substrates, and an intervening C-3 to C-2-migration process arose that gives synthetically useful C-2 alkylation indole products.     

Preparation of 3-arylmethylindoles as selective COX-2 inhibitors

The 3-arylmethylation of indoles using TMSOTf/Et₃SiH with a wide variety of substituted benzaldehydes has been accomplished. Under these mild Lewis acid mediated reductive conditions, it was demonstrated that indoles bearing both 6-MeSO₂ and 2-methyl substituents could be 3-arylmethylated in good to excellent yields to afford the corresponding 3-arylmethyl indoles, effective as selective COX-2 inhibitors. In addition, the viability of this method for the reductive alkylation of indoles by ketones was demonstrated and shown to be C-3 regioselective. For indoles bearing both a 6-MeSO₂ and 2-cyano substituent where this indole reductive alkylation methodology was unsuccessful, an unprecedented Pd(0) mediated arylorganozinc coupling with the requisite substituted 3-methylcarbonatomethylindole proved successful in affording the desired 2-cyano-6-MeSO₂-3-arylmethylindoles effective as selective COX-2 inhibitors.     

InBr3 as a versatile and highly efficient catalyst for the synthesis of 3-allyl- and 3-benzylindoles

Indoles undergo smooth alkylation with allylic and benzylic alcohols in the presence of 10 mol % of InBr₃ under mild conditions to produce 3-allyl- and 3-benzyl indoles, respectively, in excellent yields and with high selectivity. This is the first example of the alkylation of indoles with benzylic alcohols using InBr₃ as an acid catalyst.     

Gold-catalyzed reactions of 2-alkynyl-phenylamines with alpha,beta-enones

[reaction: see text] The gold-catalyzed reaction of 2-alkynyl-phenylamines with alpha,beta-enones represents a new general one-pot entry into C-3-alkyl-indoles by sequential reactions. Gold-catalyzed sequential cyclization/alkylation, N-alkylation/cyclization, or N-alkylation/cyclization/alkylation reactions leading to different indoles can be directed by changing the 2-alkynyl-phenylamine 1/alpha,beta-enone 3 ratio and the reaction temperature. Unusual gold-catalyzed rearrangement reaction of indoles are observed at 140 degrees C. New gold-catalyzed formation of propargyl-alkyl ether under mild conditions and the hydration reaction of N-acetyl-2-ethynyl-phenylamine are reported.     

Cs2CO3-catalyzed alkylation of indoles with trifluoromethyl ketones

A Cs₂CO₃-catalyzed alkylation reaction of indoles with trifluoromethyl ketones was presented. Both alicyclic and aromatic trifluoromethyl ketones as well as various substituted indoles are compatible with the methodology. Good to excellent yields of the corresponding trifluoromethyl substituted tertiary alcohols 2,2,2-tritrifluoro-1-(1H-indol-3-yl)-ethan-1-ols were acquired as the sole products.     

Remarkable effect of N-substituent on enantioselective ruthenium-catalyzed propargylation of indoles with propargylic alcohols

Ruthenium-catalyzed enantioselective propargylation of indoles with propargylic alcohols affords the corresponding beta-propargylated indoles in good yields with a high enantioselectivity (up to 95% ee). A remarkable effect of the nature of the N-substituent of indoles is observed for the enantioselectivity of the propargylated indoles. The preparative method described in this paper may provide a novel protocol for asymmetric Friedel-Crafts alkylation of indoles using propargylic alcohols as a new type of electrophiles.     

I2O5 promoted iodosulfenylation of indoles under metal-free conditions

A mild, efficient, and metal-free strategy to construct 2-iodo-3-arylthioindoles was developed via I₂O₅-promoted iodosulfenylation of indoles utilizing simple, cheap and easily available thiophenols as sulfur sources. It is the first time that the iodothiolation difunctionalization of indoles at C-2 and C-3 positions was accomplished with the formation of 2-iodo-3-arylthioindoles in moderate to good yields.     

Sc(OTf)3-catalyzed alkylation of indoles with propargyl alcohols: an expeditious synthesis of 3-substituted indoles

Indoles undergo smooth alkylation with propargylic alcohols in the presence of 10 mol % of scandium triflate under mild conditions to produce 3-propargylated indoles in excellent yields with high selectivity.     

An Al(OTf)3-catalyzed environmentally benign process for the propargylation of indoles

Al(OTf)₃ catalyzed the alkylation of indoles using secondary/tertiary propargylic alcohols to produce 3-propargylated indoles in excellent yields with high selectivity. The reactions were performed in air with commercial grade solvents, and water was the only side product of the process. The catalyst was recovered after completion of the reaction and re-used with minimum loss of activity over three cycles.     

An efficient route to 2,3-disubstituted indoles via reductive alkylation using H2 as reductant

An efficient route to 2,3-disubstituted indoles was developed via reductive alkylation of 2-substituted indoles using hydrogen as a clean and atom economic reductant under ambient pressure.     

An FeCl3-catalyzed highly C3-selective Friedel-Crafts alkylation of indoles with alcohols

The FeCl₃-catalyzed C3-selective Friedel-Crafts alkylation of indoles using allylic, benzylic and propargylic alcohols has been developed. The reaction was performed in the presence of a catalytic amount of inexpensive anhydrous FeCl₃ (10 mol %) in nitromethane under mild conditions. This method can also be used for the alkylation of pyrrole.     

Friedel-Crafts-type allylation of nitrogen-containing aromatic compounds with allylic alcohols catalyzed by a [Mo3S4Pd(η3-allyl)] cluster

With the direct use of allylic alcohols as allylating agents, the Friedel-Crafts-type allylic alkylation of nitrogen-containing aromatic compounds catalyzed by a [Mo(3)S(4)Pd(η(3)-allyl)] cluster is achieved. With a 3 mol % catalyst loading in acetonitrile at reflux or 60 °C, a variety of N,N-dialkylanilines and indoles reacted smoothly with allylic alcohols to afford the Friedel-Crafts-type allylation products in good to excellent yields with high levels of regioselectivity.     

An expedient synthesis of 3-substituted indoles via reductive alkylation with ketones

3-Alkylindoles were prepared in one step from indoles and ketones via a convenient reductive alkylation procedure using triethylsilane and trichloroacetic acid. Under this particular condition, unsubstituted indoles could be tolerated to afford good yields of 3-sec-alkylation products.     

Iridium‐Catalyzed Enantioselective Indole Cyclization: Application to the Total Synthesis and Absolute Stereochemical Assignment of (−)‐Aspidophylline A

The first enantioselective total synthesis of (?)‐aspidophylline A, including assignment of its absolute configuration has been accomplished. A key element of the synthesis is a highly enantioselective indole allylic alkylation/iminium cyclization cascade which was developed by employing a combination of Lewis acid activation and an iridium/ligand catalyst. This strategy relies on the direct use of 2,3‐disubstituted indoles with secondary allylic alcohols appended at C2 and heteronucleophiles appended at C3, indoles which are easily prepared from simple starting materials under C?H activation conditions.     

Diastereoselective intramolecular Friedel-Crafts cyclizations of substituted methyl 2-(1H-indole-1-carbonyl)acrylates: efficient access to functionalized 1H-pyrrolo[1,2-a]indoles

A general, catalytic method for the diastereoselective synthesis of functionalized 1H-pyrrolo[1,2-a]indoles via an intramolecular Friedel-Crafts alkylation of N-acyl indoles is reported. Products were obtained in excellent yields (up to 98%) with high diastereoselectivities (up to >25:1 dr).     

New Synthesis of 1-Substituted 3-(2-Aminoethyl)indoles

A number of 1-substituted 3-(2-aminoethyl) indoles were prepared, in one step, by alkylation of the corresponding 3-(2-aminoethyl)indoles (tryptamines) in the presence of NaH.     

A convenient access to 1,3-disubstituted furo[3,4-b]indoles by acid ion-exchange resin-catalyzed furan formation

Efficient synthesis of furo[3,4-b]indoles starting from the corresponding indole is reported. The first route involves derivatization, protection, and deprotection steps, which stretch the syntheses. The second method provides a shorter and more efficient strategy to accessing the furoindole. The innovation starts with alkylation at C-2 of the indole presenting at the C-3 position a ketone-acetal, followed by the cycloaromatization catalyzed by polymeric ion-exchange resins. The second route represents a significant improvement over other methods previously described.     

Stereoselective formation of carbon-carbon bonds via SN2-displacement: synthesis of substituted cycloalkyl[b]indoles

A general asymmetric synthesis of substituted cycloalkyl[b]indoles has been accomplished. The key features of this approach are (1) the utilization of a Japp-Klingemann condensation/Fischer cyclization to prepare cycloalkyl[b]indolones, (2) the asymmetric borane reduction of these heterocyclic ketones with (S)-OAB to obtain enantiomerically pure alcohols, and (3) the stereoselective S(N)2-displacement of these indole alcohol substrates with a carbon nucleophile under Mitsunobu conditions to set the C1 or C3 tertiary carbon stereocenter. The use of trimethylphosphine (PMe3) and bis(2,2,2-trichloroethyl) azodicarboxylate (TCEAD) was found to have an effect on the Mitsunobu dehydrative alkylation.     

Iridium catalysed C-3 alkylation of oxindole with alcohols under solvent free thermal or microwave conditions

Ir-catalysed alkylation of oxindole and N-methyl oxindole with a range of substituted benzyl and heteroaryl alcohols under solvent free thermal or microwave conditions afforded the corresponding C-3-monoalkylated products in high to excellent yield.