Tandem Organocatalysis and Photocatalysis: An Anthraquinone‐Catalyzed Indole‐C3‐Alkylation/Photooxidation/1,2‐Shift Sequence

Quinones exhibit orthogonal ground‐ and excited‐state reactivities and are therefore highly suitable organocatalysts for the development of sequential catalytic processes. Herein, the discovery of an anthraquinone‐catalyzed thermal indole‐C3‐alkylation with benzylamines is described, which can be combined sequentially with a new visible‐light‐driven catalytic photooxidation/1,2‐shift reaction. The one‐flask tandem process converts indoles into 3‐benzylindole intermediates, which are further transformed into new fluorescent 2,2‐disubstituted indoline‐3‐one derivatives.