Indole alkylation reactions

To date, many electrophilic reagents, such as alkyl halides, alkenes, alkynes, carbonyl compounds, epoxides, alcohols, and ethers, have been investigated in AFC alkylation reactions. On the other hand, the reactive 5-membered heteroaromatic compounds, such as indole, pyrrole, furan, and thiophene derivatives, and electron-rich benzene derivatives have been successfully applied in AFC alkylation reactions. Indole and pyrrole derivatives are most popular substrates due to their high reactivity and account for almost 80% of the published methodologies. A variety of chiral organometal-lic catalysts and organocatalysts are employed in the catalytic AFC alkylation reactions with high enantiomeric control. 

The Ciamician-Dennstedt reaction has been used to prepare macrocycles. Reaction of 2,3-alkyl linked indole derivatives 10, 11, 13, and 15 with phenyl(trichloromethyl)-... 

In the frame of a medicinal project at J J Pharmaceutical Research and Development aimed at designing new potent and selective glycogen synthase kinase-3/i (GSK-3/3) inhibitors, the C-3 derivatization of the 1-methyl-4-[l-alkyl-lff-indol-3-yl]-lff-pyrrole-2,5-dione scaffold was explored [31]. Microwave-assisted Stille reaction of 3-chloro-l-methyl-4-[l-alkyl-lff-indol-3-yl]-lH-pyrrole-2,5-diones with (2,4-dimethoxy-5-pyrimidinyl)(tributyl) stannane at 200 °C yielded in 6 min the desired 3,4-diaryl-lff-pyrrole-2,5-diones in moderate yields (Scheme 12). 

Furthermore, Jana et al. developed a FeCl3-catalyzed C3-selective Friedel-Crafts alkylation of indoles, using allylic, benzylic, and propargylic alcohols in nitromethane as solvent at room temperature. This method can also be used for the alkylation of pyrrole (Scheme 4). The reactions were complete within 2-3 h without the need of an inert gas atmosphere leading to the C-3-substitution product exclusively in moderate to good yields [20]. 

Whittlesey, Williams and co-workers fnrther developed the catalytic indirect Wittig reaction and fonnd that the more electron-rich NHC present in complex 18 provided a more reactive catalyst [8]. Catalyst 18 was used to convert benzyl alcohol 8 and phosphoninm ylide 19 into the product 20 under slightly milder reaction conditions and in a shorter time than in previous work (Scheme 11.4). Other C-C bond-forming reactions from alcohols using a borrowing hydrogen approach have been reported, with Peris and co-workers using Ir-NHC complexes for the C-3 alkylation of indoles with alcohols [9]. 

Alkylation reactions by the iminium methide species are well known in the mitomycin and mitosene literature 4,49,51-53 and are largely responsible for the cytotoxicity/antitumor activity of these compounds. As illustrated in Scheme 7.8, the electron-rich hydroquinone intermediate can also be attacked by the iminium ion resulting in either head-to-head or head-to-tail coupling. The head-to-head coupling illustrated in Scheme 7.8 is followed by a loss of formaldehyde to afford the coupled hydroquinone species that oxidizes to the head-to-head dimer upon aerobic workup. Analogous dimerization processes have been documented in the indole literature, 54-56 while the head-to-tail mechanism is unreported. In order to... 

A few intriguing developments in the area of tetrahydro-P-carboline synthetic methodology include the report of a catalytic asymmetric Pictet-Spengler reaction <06JACS1086> and an enantioselective Pd-catalyzed intramolecular allylic alkylation of indoles <06JACS1424>. A one-step synthesis of 1-substituted-P-carbolines from L-tryptophan has appeared that bypassed the tetrahydro intermediate <06T10900>. 

It can be assumed that the azoles are deprotonated by the interfacial exchange mechanism, but it is noteworthy that it has been suggested that the rate of alkylation of indole under liquiddiquid two-phase conditions decreases with an increase in the concentration of the sodium hydroxide [8]. The choice of catalyst appears to have little effect on the reaction rate or on the overall yields of alkylated azole. Benzyltriethylammonium chloride, Aliquat, and tetra-n-butylammonium hydrogen sulphate or bromide have all been used at ca. 1-10% molar equivalents (relative to the concentration of the azole) for alkylation reactions, but N-arylation of indole with an activated aryl halide requires a stoichiometric amount of the catalyst [8]. 

The two-phase alkylation reactions have been extended to the acylation of simple heteroaromatic systems. Generally, the required conditions are milder than those employed for the alkylation reactions, but an excess of the acylating agent is usually required, owing to its facile hydrolysis in the basic media. Thus, benzimidazole and its 2-alkyl and 2-aryl derivatives have been benzoylated [46], and pyrrole and indole have been converted into a range of A-acyl [47, 48] and A-sulphonyl derivatives [48-53] (Table 5.35 and Table 5.36). 

The indole anion is resonance stabilized, with negative charge localized mainly on nitrogen and C-3. It can now participate as a nucleophile, e.g. in alkylation reactions. However, this can lead to iV-alkylation or C-alkylation at C-3. Which is the predominant product depends upon a number of... 

A major limitation of these alkylation reactions has been the regiospecificity and/or need for directing groups of the nucleophile. MacMillan has overcome this and expanded the scope of the reaction to include alkene nucleophiles by using trifluoroborate salts (Scheme 18) [87]. This approach enables alkylation of the 2-position of indoles, complimenting the 3-selective alkylation shown in Scheme 16. One equivalent of hydrogen fluoride was found to be necessary in the reaction in order to sequester the boron trifluoride generated. 

A further example of the use of a chiral anion in conjunction with a chiral amine was recently reported by Melchiorre and co-workers who described the asymmetric alkylation of indoles with a,P-unsaturated ketones (Scheme 65) [212]. The quinine derived amine salt of phenyl glycine (159) (10-20 mol%) provided the best platform with which to perform these reactions. Addition of a series of indole derivatives to a range of a,P-unsaturated ketones provided access to the adducts with excellent efficiency (56-99% yield 70-96% ee). The substrates adopted within these reactions is particularly noteworthy. For example, use of aryl ketones (R = Ph), significantly widens the scope of substrates accessible to iminium ion activation. Expansion of the scope of nucleophiles to thiols [213] and oximes [214] with similar high levels of selectivity suggests further discoveries will be made. 

Flouk has also considered the alkylation reactions of pyrroles and indoles using the same class of catalyst. The report addresses the fact that while catalyst 12 provides high ees in the alkylation of pyrroles (Scheme 15), the same is not true of indoles and catalyst 21 is required instead (Scheme 16). A thorough examination of the accessible transition states for the reaction of iminium ion 184 with pyrrole and with indole led to the conclusion that the two reactions occur through different transition states. Pyrrole adopts a closed transition state reminiscent of that of the Diels-Alder reaction whereas indole adopts an open transition state (Fig. 19) [233]. 

Lonza Cie191 has recently patented a selective O-alkylation reaction of an indole derivative starting not from hydroxy- but from trimethylsilyloxy-indole (124). 

Indolines are produced in good yield from 1-benzenesulfonylindoles by reduction with sodium cyanoborohydride in TFA at 0°C (Equation 5) (89TL6833). If acyl groups are present at C-2 or C-3 in the substrate, they are reduced to alkyl groups. Indole is also reduced to 2,3-dihydroindole by sodium cyanoborohydride and acetic acid or triethylamineborane and hydrochloric acid. An alternative method for preparing indolines involves treatment of indoles with formic acid (or a mixture of formic acid and ammonium formate) and a palladium catalyst (82S785). Reduction of the heterocyclic ring under acidic conditions probably involves initial 3-protonation followed by reaction with hydride ion. 

As indicated in Scheme 27, indoles may be alkylated by their acid-catalyzed reaction with alcohols. Similarly, r-butylation of pyrroles has been effected by the acid-catalyzed reaction with t- butyl acetate (B-77MI30502), and the diarylmethylation of 1-methylpyrrole from the acid-catalyzed reaction with the chromium trichloride complex of the diarylcarbinol has been described (78JA4124). The alkylation of indoles by alcohols in the presence of the aluminum alkoxide and Raney nickel appears to be efficient for the synthesis of 3-substituted indoles, but is less successful in the alkylation of 2-methylindole (79JHC501). The corresponding isopropylation of pyrrole produces 2,5-diisopropylpyrrole and 1-isopropylpyrrolidine, as the major products (79JHC501). 

The principles underlying the N- alkylation of indoles are the same as those for pyrroles (67T3771). Development of synthetic techniques for maximizing yields has resulted in procedures using dipolar aprotic solvents, crown ether and phase transfer catalysis, as well as reactions in liquid ammonia. These techniques are illustrated by some representative examples given in Table 8. 

Direct alkylation of indoles under neutral conditions has been observed for especially reactive alkyl halides. 3-Methylbutenyl bromide gives the 3-substituted indole in acetic acid-sodium acetate at room temperature (equation 170) (69TL2485). At higher temperature in acidic solution, 1,2-dimethylindole undergoes bisallylation (equation 171) (67CJC2628). a-Halo ketones including bromoacetone, 3-bromo-2-butanone and 2-chlorocyclohexanone can alkylate 2-substituted indoles in aqueous acetic acid, but the acidic conditions used in these reactions would probably be destructive of indole itself (72JOC2010). 

Whereas intramolecular acylation of indole 88 takes place only in moderate yield, the analogous alkylation of indole 101 gives the dihydrodibenzpyrrol-izine (102) in excellent yield. The reaction conditions for conversion of acid 88 to the tosylate (101) are, however, critical.23 A conversion of tosylate 103 to dihydropyrrolizine 104 was reported.69... 

Other substrates suitable for intramolecular reactions were prepared by alkylation of indole-3-carboxaldehyde with 5-chloropentyne followed by a Wittig reaction. The indole-3-acrylate 319 was heated at 300°C and then dehydrogenated to the pyridocarbazole 320 (87JOC4661). A similar cyclization of the indole-3-acrylate 321 afforded the pentacyclic compound 322 (89H1871). 

Interestingly, enantioselective alkylation reactions [64] were also developed using, for instance, Cu(OTf)2, [65], [Cu(SbF6)2, Zn(OTf)2] [66], Cu(C104)2-6H20 [67] or Sc (OTf)3 [68] in combination with diverse chiral ligands. Remarkably, organocatalytic alkylations of pyrroles, indoles and anilines by 3-phenylpropenal have been also developed [69]. 

HF calculations with the 6-31G(d) basis set were used to study the mechanism of the Michael addition (or Friedel-Crafts alkylation) reaction of indole with dimethyl alkylidenemalonate. This reaction proceeds through two transition states, TSi and TS2 in the first step, assumed to be rate determining, the new C-C bond is formed, whereas in the second step, proton transfer from indole to malonate occurs with the formation of the new C-H bond. The calculations show that the transfer and interaction of the 7r-electrons in the reactant molecules may play an important role in the cleavage of the original C=C bond and the formation of the new bonds (C-C and C-H) the electron transfer is believed to be the driving force for the reaction to occur. 

A brief and elegant new synthesis86" of ( )-3-ep/-uleine (121) employs the recently developed866 reaction of dihydropyridine endoperoxides [e.g. (122)] with stannous chloride in the presence of nucleophiles. With indole as nucleophile, ring-opening of the peroxide, alkylation with indole, and reduction afford... 

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