A Stereochemical test of the mechanism of electrophilic substitution in 3-substituted indoles

Nickel(II)-Catalyzed Formal [3+2] Cycloadditions between Indoles and Donor-Acceptor Cyclopropanes

This article describes the development of a nickel-catalyzed regio- and diastereoselective formal [3+2] cycloaddition between N-substituted indoles and donor-acceptor cyclopropanes to synthesize cyclopenta[b]indoles. Optimized reaction conditions provide the desired nitrogen-containing cycloadducts in up to 93% yield and dr 8.6:1 with complete regioselectivity. The substrate scope showed high tolerance to various substituted indoles and cyclopropanes, resulting in the synthesis of six new cyclopenta[b]indoles and the isolation of five derivatives previously reported in the literature. In addition, a mechanistic proposal for the reaction was studied through online reaction monitoring by ESI-MS, allowing for the identification of the reactive intermediates in the Ni(II) catalyzed process. X-ray crystallography confirmed the structure and relative endo stereochemistry of the products. This method enables the fast and efficient construction of fused indolines from readily accessible starting materials.

Recent metal-catalysed approaches for the synthesis of cyclopenta[b]indoles

The cyclopenta[b]indole scaffold is ubiquitously present in several bioactive natural products and pharmaceutically interesting compounds. Of the numerous methods known for the synthesis of cyclopenta-fused indoles, this review highlights only the metal-catalysed approaches reported from the year 2015 onwards. This review encompasses our own efforts leading to the synthesis of cyclopentannulated indoles, in addition to the seminal contributions of several other researchers.

Beyond the Diketopiperazine Family with Alternatively Bridged Brevianamide F Analogues

A method for the preparation of 3,5-bridged piperazin-2-ones from a tryptophan-proline-based diketopiperazine is described using diphosgene to induce the ring closure. Density functional theory calculations were conducted to study the mechanism of this C-C bond formation. Several derivatives of the thus obtained α-chloroamine were synthesized by substitution of the chlorine atom using a range of O-, N-, S-, and C-nucleophiles. This novel class of brevianamide F analogues possess interesting breast cancer resistance protein inhibitory activity.

A combined theoretical and experimental investigation into the highly stereoselective migration of spiroindolenines

This paper describes a combined theoretical and experimental investigation into the acid-catalyzed migration of spiroindolenines to the corresponding fused cyclic products. It is suggested that the "three-center-two-electron"-type transition state is the crucial reason accounting for the highly stereoselective phenomenon. Further studies demonstrated that the electronic property of the migratory group as well as the ring size may have a major influence on the reaction profile of the migration process. Some predictions based on the computational results were supported by additional experiments.

Total synthesis of enantiopure phalarine via a stereospecific Pictet-Spengler reaction: traceless transfer of chirality from L-tryptophan

An appropriately constructed 2-substituted derivative of l-tryptophan undergoes conversion to a prephalarine structure in a single step. The reaction occurs in a diastereoselective fashion, leading shortly thereafter to the naturally occurring version of the alkaloid phalarine.

Modulating reactivity and diverting selectivity in palladium-catalyzed heteroaromatic direct arylation through the use of a chloride activating/blocking group

Through the introduction of an aryl chloride substituent, the selectivity of palladium-catalyzed direct arylation may be diverted to provide alternative regioisomeric products in high yields. In cases where low reactivity is typically observed, the presence of the carbon-chlorine bond can serve to enhance reactivity and provide superior outcomes. From a strategic perspective, the C-Cl bond is easily introduced and can be employed in a variety of subsequent transformations to provide a wealth of highly functionalized heterocycles with minimal substrate preactivation. The impact of the C-Cl functional group on direct arylation reactivity has also been evaluated mechanistically, and the observed reactivity profiles correlate very well with that predicted by a concerted metalation-deprotonation pathway.

Intra- and Intermolecular Reactions of Indoles with Alkynes Catalyzed by Gold

Indoles react intramolecularly with alkynes in the presence of gold catalysts to give from six- to eight-membered-ring annulated compounds. The cationic Au(I) complex [Au(P{C(6)H(4)(o-Ph)}(tBu)(2))(NCMe)]SbF(6) is the best catalyst for the formation of six- and seven-membered rings by 6-endo-dig, 6-exo-dig, and 7-exo-dig cyclizations. Indoloazocines are selectively obtained with AuCl(3) as catalyst in a rare 8-endo-dig process. In this process allenes or tetracyclic annulated derivatives are also formed as a result of an initial fragmentation reaction. The intermolecular reaction of indoles with alkynes proceeds to form 3-alkenylated intermediates that react with a second equivalent of indole to give bisindolyl derivatives. Indoles that are substituted at the 3-position react intermolecularly with alkynes to give 2-alkenylated intermediates that can be trapped intramolecularly with the appropriate nucleophiles.

Domino Carbocationic Rearrangement of α-[Bis(methylthio)methylene]alkyl-2-(3/2-indolyl) Cyclopropyl Ketones

Domino carbocationic rearrangement of a number of substituted 3- and 2-indolylcyclopropyl ketones with an alpha-bis(methylthio)methylene group in the presence of various protic/Lewis acids yields a variety of products, mainly the pentaleno fused indoles and the carbazole derivatives.

Palladium(0)-Catalyzed Heteroarylation of 2- and 3-Indolylzinc Derivatives. An Efficient General Method for the Preparation of (2-Pyridyl)indoles and Their Application to Indole Alkaloid Synthesis

Palladium(0)-catalyzed coupling of (1-(benzenesulfonyl)-2-indolyl)zinc chloride (1) and (1-(tert-butyldimethylsilyl)-3-indolyl)zinc chloride (6) with diversely substituted (alkyl, methoxy, methoxycarbonyl, nitro, hydroxy) 2-halopyridines gives the corresponding 2- and 3-(2-pyridyl)indoles [4 and 7 (or 8), respectively] in excellent yields. A series of other 3-(heteroaryl)indoles (pyrazinyl, furyl, thienyl, indolyl) have been similarly prepared from 6. The potential of some of these (2-pyridyl)indoles in alkaloid synthesis is demonstrated. Thus, from 2-(2-pyridyl)indole 4b, a new synthetic entry to the indolo[2,3-a]quinolizidine system, involving stereoselective hydrogenation of the pyridine ring with subsequent electrophilic cyclization upon the indole 3-position from an appropriately N(b)-substituted 2-(2-piperidyl)indole, is reported. For this purpose, Pummerer cyclizations have been extensively studied. Whereas the indole-unprotected sulfoxide 17 gives the corresponding indoloquinolizidine 19 in low yield and mainly undergoes an abnormal Pummerer cyclization that ultimately leads to sulfide 18, the N(a)-protected sulfoxides 24a and 24b afford the respective indoloquinolizidines 25a,b in 70% yield. On the other hand, the conversion of 3-(2-pyridyl)indole 8k into tetracyclic ketone 35 by stereoselective hydrogenation, followed by cyclization of the resulting all-cis-3-(2-piperidyl)indole 34, represents a formal synthesis of Strychnos alkaloids with the strychnan skeletal type (tubifoline, tubifolidine, 19,20-dihydroakuammicine). A similar conversion of 8j into nordasycarpidone constitutes a formal synthesis of the alkaloids of the uleine group. Reduction of nordasycarpidone leads to tetracycle 37, an advanced intermediate in a previous synthesis of tubotaiwine, a Strychnos alkaloid with the aspidospermatan skeletal type. Finally, piperidylindole 34 was transformed into tetracycle 41, an ABDE substructure of akuammiline alkaloids, by a sequence involving the skeletal rearrangement of an intermediate spiroindolenine as the crucial step.

Efficient Syntheses of Substituted Carbazoles and Cyclopent[b]indoles from 1-Methyl-3-(benzotriazol-1-ylmethyl)indole

1-Methyl-3-(benzotriazol-1-ylmethyl)indole (1) undergoes lithiation and 1,4-addition with a variety of alpha,beta-unsaturated ketones and aldehydes. Subsequent treatment with an acidic resin in refluxing 1,4-dioxane causes intramolecular cyclization followed by aromatization to furnish a wide range of 1,3-di-, 2,3-di-, and 1,2,3-trisubstituted carbazoles 6a-j and 8 in moderate to excellent yields. NMR study is described to discriminate between structures of types 6 and 8 on the basis of (1)H-(13)C long-range correlation. Treatment of 1 with styrenes in the presence of zinc bromide results in formal [3 + 2] cycloaddition to give cyclopent[b]indoles 14a-c in good yields. When 1 is first lithiated and reacts with electrophiles, the resulting alkylation products undergo similar [3 + 2] additions with styrenes to give 1-functionalized cyclopent[b]indoles 15 and 16with a high degree of stereoselectivity.