Insertion of isoprene units into indole and 3-substituted indoles in aqueous systems

Indole (1) and 3- methylbut - 2 - enyl bromide (2) were reacted in aqueous solution over a wide range of pH, in absence of Lewis catalysts, leading to 3-(3'-methylbut-2'-enyl) indole (3), 2,3-di-(3'-methylbut-2-enyl) indole (4) and to 2 - (3 - indolyl) - 3,3 - di - (3' - methylbut - 2' - enyl) - 2,3 - dihydroindote (6) in acidic buffer, whereas compound 6 was not formed at basic pH. Both the reactivity and the selectivity of the reaction appear to be influenced by the acidity of the medium. The reaction extended to biologically significant 3-substituted indoles gave a series of new products. 3-Substituted indoles bearing a basic group at their β-position (7, 11, 12 and 13) in acetic buffer (pH = 3) gave mainly cyclization to dihydrofurano or dihydropyrrolo [2.3-b] indoles (15,16, 20, 21 and 23), whereas those with the basic group at the γ-position (9,10) gave the 2 - (3 - methylbut - 2 - enyl) indole derivatives (18,19) only.