3-indolyl triflates

The invention of the triflate (trifluoromethylsulfonyl) group — one of the world s best leaving groups — has led to its use in palladium chemistry [42]. Conway and Gribble described the synthesis of 3-indolyl triflate 34 [12] and 2-indolyl triflate 35 from oxindole [43]. Mdrour synthesized the N-phenylsulfonyl derivative 36 by employing a Baeyer-Villiger oxidation of the appropriate indolecarboxaldehyde [44],... 

Although the first report of an indoleboronic acid was by Conway and Gribble in 1990, this compound (94) was not employed in Suzuki coupling, but rather it was utilized en route to 3-indolyl triflate 34 as described in section 3.1 [12],... 

Haloindoles and indolyl triflates are also known to undergo Heck coupling both in the 2- and 3-position. In a typical example the protected 3-indolyl triflate was coupled with ethyl acrylate in excellent yield (6.57.).87... 

Mdrour also explored the Heck reactions of indolyl triflates with allylic alcohols [139, 258]. For example, reaction of triflate 227 with allyl alcohol gives the rearranged allylic alcohol 228 [139],... 

In conclusion, the fantastically diverse chemistry of indole has been significantly enriched by palladium-catalyzed reactions. The accessibility of all of the possible halogenated indoles and several indolyl triflates has resulted in a wealth of synthetic applications as witnessed by the length of this chapter. In addition to the standard Pd-catalyzed reactions such as Negishi, Suzuki, Heck, Stille and Sonogashira, which have had great success in indole chemistry, oxidative coupling and cyclization are powerful routes to a variety of carbazoles, carbolines, indolocarbazoles, and other fused indoles. 

Palladium was also effective in promoting the conversion of the indolyl-triflate shown in 4.22. to the tricyclic indolopyrazine system. The reaction, proceeding by the incorporation of a molecule of ethylenediamine, also proceeded in the absence of the palladium catalyst, but it was more sluggish and gave lower yields. Tetracyclic indolo[2,3-6]quinoxaline was also prepared in the same manner, using o-phenylenediamine as nucleophile.25... 

Indoleboronic acid 96 was employed by Neel to prepare bis(indolyl)maleimides such as 109 [119]. However, since the standard Suzuki conditions failed (triflate 108 apparently decomposing under the reaction conditions), the use of a phosphine-free Pd catalyst [120] and cesium fluoride [121] was necessary and gave 109 in an acceptable yield of 55%. 

A particularly elegant domino Heck reaction involving 4-bromoindole and bromo(indolyl)maleimide 251 to give N-methylarcyriacyanin A (252) in one operation was reported by Steglich [173]. This alkaloid could also be prepared from triflate 253 in higher yield in a heteroaryl Heck reaction. 

Both vinyl- and aryl triflates have been cross-coupled with 2-furylzinc chloride [26-28]. Since vinyl triflates are easily obtained from the corresponding ketones, they are useful substrates in Pd-catalyzed reactions. In the following example, a Negishi coupling of 2-furylzinc chloride and indol-5-yl triflate (22) provided an expeditious entry to 2-(5 -indolyl)furan (23). Protection of the NH in the indole ring was not required. A similar reaction was successful with pyridyl- and quinolinyl triflates. 

While lanthanide triflates have been demonstrated to promote the reaction of indoles with imines <99SL498>, Johannsen has developed a new synthesis of optically active p-indolyl N-tosyl a-amino acids 110 via the enantioselective addition of A-tosylimnio esters of ethyl glyoxylate 109 to indoles 108 bearing both electron-donor and electron-acceptor substituents at C-5 using 1-5 mol% of a chiral copper(I)-Tol-BINAP catalyst <99CC2233>. 

Lithium triethyl(l-methylindolyl-2)borate has been introduced as a convenient source of indolyl residue for carbonylative cross-coupling with aryl iodides, alkenyl iodides, or triflates. The reaction requires elevated CO pressure and high loading of catalyst (5mol.%) (Equation (15)). Aryl and alkenyl bromides, as well as aryl iodides... 

Indoles react with epoxides and aziridines in the presence of Lewis acids (see 20.4.1 for reaction of indolyl anions with such reactants) with opening of the three-membered ring and consequent 3-(2-hydroxyethylation) and 3-(2-aminoethylation) of the heterocycle. Both ytterbium triflate and phenylboronic acid are good catalysts for reaction with epoxides under high pressure silica gel is also an effective catalyst, but reactions are slow at normal pressure and temperature. Reaction with aziridines can be catalysed by zinc triflate or boron trifluoride. °... 

Enantioselective Friedel-Crafts alkylation of indoles with a,P-unsaturated acyl phosphonates was investigated in the presence of bis(oxazolinyl)pyridine-scandium triflate complexes [151]. The intermediate -indolyl acyl phosphonates were converted to the corresponding methyl esters by direct addition of methanol and DBU (1,8-diazobicyclo [5.4.0] undec-7-ene) to the reaction mixture. Various acyl phosphonates and indole derivatives gave the alkylated products in moderate to good yields with high to excellent enantioselectivities (Scheme 12.57). It was also shown that the reaction was quenched by morpholine to give the corresponding amide, and that electron-rich 3-dimethylaminoanisole was also an effective nucleophile in this reaction. 

In spite of electron withdrawing action of four fluorine atoms, 4,5,6, 7-tetrafluoroindole 132 reacts with electrophiles under quite mild conditions to give products of substitution at the 3-position. For example, reaction of 132 with AT-(carbobenzyloxy)piperidin-4-one 168 in the presence of trimethylsilyl triflate and tiiethylsilane afforded the corresponding piperidine derivative 169 [62], Using sulfur ttioxide-pyridine complex indolyl sulfonic acid 170 was obtained, which was further converted into sulfonyl amide 172 by reaction with phosphoms(V) oxychloride, followed by treatment with derivative of piperazine [2a],... 

Enantioselective Friedel-Crafts alkylation reactions were performed between substituted indoles and methyl trifluoropyruvate, using a chiral nonracemic C2-symmetric 2,2 -bipyridyl copper triflate complex as catalyst. The active copper(II) catalyst was generated in situ. The corresponding 3,3,3-trifluoro-2-hydroxy-2-indolyl-propionic acid methyl esters were formed in good yield (up to 79%), and in up to 90% enantiomeric excess (eq 18). 

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