Indoles reaction with, phosgene

Nucleophilic centers of trifunctional carboxylic components naturally have to be masked before the formation of synunetric anhydrides. Ddz-tryptophane, for example, shows several side reactions with phosgene, whereas the same compound with formyl masked indole nitrogen results in an excellently pure symmetric anhydride [71] (Fig. 46). 

The synthesis of a triptan with a chiral side chain begins by reduction of the carboxylic acid in chiral 4-nitrophenylalanine (15-1). The two-step procedure involves conversion of the acid to its ester by the acid chloride by successive reaction with thionyl chloride and then methanol. Treatment of the ester with sodium borohy-dride then afford the alanilol (15-2). Reaction of this last intermediate with phosgene closes the ring to afford the oxazolidone (15-3) the nitro group is then reduced to the aniline (15-4). The newly obtained amine is then converted to the hydrazine (15-5). Reaction of this product with the acetal from 3-chloropropionaldehyde followed by treatment of the hydrazone with acid affords the indole (15-6). The terminal halogen on the side chain is then replaced by an amine by successive displacement by means of sodium azide followed by catalytic reduction of the azide. The newly formed amine is then methylated by reductive alkylation with formaldehyde in the presence of sodium cyanoborohydride to afford zolmitriptan (15-7) [15]. 

The Vilsmeier-Haack formylation procedure (Scheme 24) provides the most effective synthesis of formylpyrroles and indoles. Reaction of the heterocycles with the immonium cation (72), derived from DMF or (V-methylformanilide with an acid chloride, such as phosphorus oxychloride, thionyl chloride, phosgene, oxalyl chloride, benzoyl chloride or bromotriphenylphosphonium bromide, yields the intermediate heteroarylimmonium salt (73). Under suitable reaction conditions, this salt may be isolated from the reaction involving phosphorus oxychloride as an impure chlorophosphate (78TH30500) or precipitated from the reaction system as the thermally unstable perchlorate by the addition of sodium... 

Indole-1-carboxylic acid can be converted by treatment with a carbodiimide to the anhydride (413), which can undergo reaction with amines or the sodium salts of phenols, thiophenols, pyrroles, and indoles. For example, it reacts with the sodium salt of pyrrole-2-carbaldehyde to give the product (414) (Scheme 143) <87JOC3934>. V-Chloroformylcarbazole (415), prepared by the reaction of carbazole with phosgene, has been used effectively for the fluorogenic labeling of amino acids (Equation (118)) <90TL1455>. 

The reactivity of five-membered rings with one heteroatom to electrophilic reagents has been quantitatively compared. Table 1 shows that the rates of substitution for (a) formylation by phosgene and V,iV-dimethylformamide, (b) acetylation by acetic anhydride and tin(IV) chloride, and (c) trifluoroacetylation with trifluoroacetic anhydride (71AHC(13)235) are all in the sequence furan > tellurophene > selenophene > thiophene. Pyrrole is still more reactive as shown by the rate for trifluoroacetylation, by the relative rates of bromination of the 2-methoxycarbonyl derivatives (pyrrole > furan > selenophene > thiophene), and by the rate data on the reaction of the iron tricarbonyl-complexed carbocation [C6H7Fe(CO)3]+ (Scheme 5) (2-methylindole ss V-methylindole > indole > pyrrole > furan > thiophene (73CC540)). 

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