Nucleophilic reactions of l-methyl-2-methoxy-2-phenyl-3-oxo-2,3-dihydroindole

The title compound (1) was prepared via methylene blue (MB)-sensitized photooxy-genation of l-methyl-2-phenylindole (2d) in methanol. Acid-catalyzed nucleophilic substitution of 1 with nucleophiles gave 1,2,2-trisubstituted 3-oxo-2,3-dihydroindoles (3–6). Reduction of 1 with lithium aluminum hydride, followed by acidic workup yielded 4d and 2d, whereas the same reduction reaction of 1, followed by neutral workup gave l-methyl-2-phenyl-3-hydroxy-2,3-dihydroindole (15), together with 3. The reaction pathways of nucleophilic substitution and reduction of 1 were discussed.