Madelung indole synthesis applications

Table 1 Applications of the Classic Madelung Indole Synthesis...

Somewhat related to the Madelung and Wender indole syntheses is the method developed by Smith and Visnick, which features the dilithio species from ortho-sXkyl-N-in-methylsilyl anilines reacting with carboxylic acid esters to give 2-substitnted and 2,3-disubstituted indoles [1, 2], The value of this indole synthesis is seen by its numerous applications by Smith and coworkers in the synthesis of indole alkaloids [3-12], The basic reaction and some examples are shown in Scheme 1. The requisite silylated anilines were prepared by lithiation (n-bntyllithinm, -78 °C) of the aniline followed by quenching with trimethylsilyl chloride. For the synthesis of 2,3-disubstituted indoles an inverse quench is preferred (equation 3). To lithiate ort/to-ethyl-A -methylsilyl aniline, n-butyllithium-tetramethylethylene-diamine (TMEDA) was required. Indole 1 is an intermediate in the synthesis of (H-)-cinchonamine. 

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