Efficient synthesis of pyrroles and 4,5,6,7-tetrahydroindoles via palladium-catalyzed oxidation of hydroxy-enamines

4,5,6,7-Tetrahydroindol-4-Ones as a Valuable Starting Point for the Synthesis of Polyheterocyclic Structures

This review focuses on the synthesis of polyheterocyclic structures with a variety of medicinal and optoelectronic applications, starting from readily available 4,5,6,7-tetrahydroindol-4-one analogs. First, routes toward the 4,5,6,7-tetrahydroindol-4-one starting materials are summarized, followed by synthetic pathways towards polyheterocyclic structures which are categorized based on the size and attachment point of the newly formed (hetero)cyclic ring.

Catalytic Acceptorless Dehydrogenation of Amino Alcohols and 2-Hydroxybenzyl Alcohols for Annulation Reaction under Neutral Conditions

A base-free and acceptorless Ru-catalyzed dehydrogenative approach has been developed for the synthesis of N-heterocycles by using 1,3-dicarbonyls and amino alcohols through a domino sequential enamine formation and intramolecular oxidative cyclization strategy. This unified approach is also applicable for the synthesis of O-heterocycles involving 2-hydroxybenzyl alcohol as a coupling reactant via consecutive C-alkylation and intramolecular cyclization steps. The present protocol is general for the synthesis of varieties of biologically important scaffolds, such as tetrahydro-4H-indol-4-one, 3,4-dihydroacridin-1(2H)-one, and tetrahydro-1H-xanthen-1-ones derivatives using a single catalytic system, viz. RuH₂CO(PPh₃)₃. Environmentally benign H₂O and H₂ are the only byproducts in this domino process. Moreover, RuH₂CO(PPh₃)₃-catalyzed C3-alkylation of tetrahydro-4H-indol-4-one using alcohol as a alkylating partner is also described in this report. For the first time, a solvent-free gram-scale reaction for the acceptorless dehydrogenative annulation has been demonstrated. A plausible mechanism for the Ru-catalyzed base-free and acceptorless dehydrogenative annulation of amino alcohols or 2-hydroxybenzyl alcohols has been provided with several experimental investigations and spectroscopic evidence.

Copper-catalyzed condensation of imines and α-diazo-β-dicarbonyl compounds: modular and regiocontrolled synthesis of multisubstituted pyrroles

The Cu-catalyzed condensation of ketimines and diazodicarbonyl compounds enables the rapid and regiocontrolled synthesis of pharmaceutically relevant multisubstituted pyrroles.

In the presence of a copper(ii) catalyst, enolizable imines bearing various N-substituents and α-diazo-β-ketoesters undergo denitrogenative and dehydrative condensation to afford highly substituted pyrroles in moderate to good yields with exclusive regioselectivity. The reaction likely involves nucleophilic addition of the imine nitrogen to a copper carbenoid, tautomerization of the resulting azomethine ylide to an α-enaminoketone, and a subsequent enamine–ketone cyclocondensation. With Yb(OTf)₃ as a unique cocatalyst, α-diazo-β-diketones also participate in the same condensation reaction. The present reaction is applicable to acyclic, exocyclic, and endocyclic imines with tolerance of a broad range of functional groups and heterocyclic moieties, thus opening a new convenient route for the synthesis of the lamellarin family of natural products.

Synthesis of 7-hydroxy-6,7-dihydro-indole and 6′,7′-dihydro-3,7′-biindole derivatives from domino reactions of arylglyoxals or methyl ketones with enamines

A series of interesting 7-hydroxy-2-aryl-6,7-dihydro-indol-4(5H)-ones 3 was successfully synthesized in moderate to good yields by the domino reactions of different arylglyoxals 1 with enamines 2 under catalyst-free conditions.

One-pot synthesis of polysubstituted 3-acylpyrroles by cooperative catalysis

Polysubstituted 3-acylpyrroles were synthesized from readily available unsaturated ketones and N-substituted propargylated amines via an aza-Michael/alkyne carbocyclization cascade followed by oxidation in one pot.