Indoles regioselective substitution

Palladium-catalyzed cyclization-carboalkoxylation of alkenyl indoles tolerated substitution along the alkenyl chain and at the internal and tfr-terminal olefinic position. In addition to 2-(4-alkenyl)indoles, 2-(3-alkenyl)-, 2-(5-hexenyl)-, 3-(3-butenyl)-, and 3-(4-pentenyl)indoles also underwent efficient palladium-catalyzed cyclization-carboalkoxylation to form the corresponding tricyclic indole derivatives in moderate to good yield with excellent regioselectivity. By employing this procedure, efficient palladium-catalyzed cyclization-carboalkoxylation of 2-(4-pentenyl)indole with ethanol, 1-octanol, 2-propanol, and cyclohexanol was achieved. 

A photocycloaddition of a different type has been reported between indole and substituted cyclohexa-1,3-dienes triaryl-pyrylium tetrafluoroborates are used as sensitisers in this electron-transfer process and the [ 4 + 2] adducts are isolated as their W-acyl derivatives (111). High regioselectivity is observed. 

Regioselective substitution on indole is one of the most important goals in heterocyclic chemistry owing to the great importance of indoles in the preparation of biologically active products. The 2- and 3-positions of the ring are the normal sites of attack in the electrophilic substitution, including acylation because of their much more nucleophilic activity. ... 

The regio- and stereochemical course of the [2+2] cycloadditions between 1-benzoylindoles and different monosubstituted olefins were briefly investigated. Interestingly, both methyl acrylate and vinyl acetate produced 1-substituted cyclo-but[h]indoles regioselectively (Scheme 3). In contrast, a distinct difference was observed between the two olefins when the stereochemical outcome of the cycloadditions was considered While there was a significant preference for the 1-exo-isomer 14 in the case of methyl acrylate, there was no stereoselectivity (ca. 1 1 mixtures of the endo- and cxo-isomers 17 and 18) when vinyl acetate was used as the cycloaddition partner [16], For further investigation of the stereochemical course of this reaction with 1,2-disubstituted ethylenes as well as cyclic olefins, see [17]. 

Since it was first reported in 1991, the Larock indole synthesis has become one of the most attractive and practical methods for the preparation of 2,3-disubstituted indoles (Scheme 24.46, disconnection D-1). In the seminal publication, Larock and Yum described the palladium-catalyzed heteroannulation of internal alkynes such as 71 with o-iodoanilines to generate substituted indoles such as 73 in excellent yield (Scheme 24.47) [149]. Unsymmetrical alkynes could be regioselectively incorporated, with the more sterically hindered group of the alkyne resulting at the 2-position of the indole. Trimethylsilyl-substituted alkynes were found to be particularly effective, affording the corresponding 2-silylated products such as 73 in exemplary yields. 

The issue of regioselectivity arises with arylhydrazones of unsymmetrical ketones which can form two different enehydrazine intermediates. Under the conditions used most commonly for Fischer cyclizations, e g. ethanolic HCI, the major product is usually the one arising from the more highly substituted enehydrazine. Thus methyl ketones usually give 2-methy indoles and cycliz-ation occurs in a branched chain in preference to a straight chain. This regioselectivity is attributed to the greater stability of the more substituted enhydrazine and its dominance of the reaction path. 

Another issue of regioselectivity arises with meta-substituted arylhydrazones from which either 4- or 6-substitutcd indoles can be formed. Robinson has tabulated extensive data on this point[9]. A study comparing regioselectivity of cyclization as catalysed by HCl/EtOH and ZnClj was carried out for several m-substituted arylhydrazones of diethyl ketone[10]. The results given in Table 7.1 show some dependence on catalyst but mixtures are obtained under all conditions studied. 

As for regioselectivity in the electrophilic substitution reactions, we have assumed that introducing a methoxy group to the 1 position of indole nucleus might alter its positional reactivity. 

Acetylchloride is a trapping agent that allows the reaction to go completion, transforming the product into a less oxidizable compound.The results of other reactions between indole (57) and substituted cyclohexa-1,3-dienes show that the photo-induced Diels-Alder reaction is almost completely regioselective. In the absence of 59 the cycloaddition did not occur the presence of [2+2] adducts was never detected. Experimental data support the mechanism illustrated in Scheme 4.14. The intermediate 57a, originated from bond formation between the indole cation radical and 58, undergoes a back-electron transfer to form the adduct 60 trapped by acetyl chloride. 

The intramolecular Pummerer reaction has been applied to the synthesis of simple quinolizidine alkaloids like lupinine <2000JOC2368>, and also to arenoquinolizine alkaloids. Thus, the 2-(2-piperidyl)indole 284 was converted to indolo[2,3- ]quinolizidine 287 following a protocol that has as the key step the regioselective cyclization onto the indole 3-position of a thionium ion generated by Pummerer reaction from the appropriately substituted compound... 

The [Ir(OMe)(COD)]2/dtbpy catalytic system borylates indole selectively at the 2-position (Scheme 6). Smith and coworkers reported that borylation of N-unprotected 2-substituted indoles exclusively occurs at 7-position (Scheme 6) [85, 86]. It has been suggested that nitrogen interaction with the iridium center or possibly the empty p-orbital of boron in a boryl ligand induces the observed regioselectivity. Borylation of other heteroarenes have been reported using the same or similar Ir(I) and bipyridine combination [85, 87-90]. 

As described in the previous sections, a variety of nucleophiles attack the Cy atom of ruthenium-allenylidene intermediates. Aromatic compounds should also be suitable candidates and this was found to be the case [30]. Thus, reactions of propargylic alcohols with heteroaromatic compounds such as furans, thiophenes, pyrroles, and indoles in the presence of a diruthenium catalyst such as la proceeded smoothly to afford the corresponding propargylated heteroaromatic compounds in high yields with complete regioselectivity (Scheme 7.25). The reaction is considered to be an electrophilic aromatic substitution if viewed from the side of aromatic compounds. 

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