Indoles and pyrroles

Although only ppm levels of nitrogen are found in the mid-distillates, both neutral and basic nitrogen compounds have been isolated and identified in fractions boiling below 345°C (12). Pyrroles and indoles account for about two-thirds of the nitrogen. The remaining nitrogen is found in the basic pyridine and quinoline compounds. Most of these compounds are alkylated. 

Both pyrrole and indole react with selenium dioxide in the presence of nitric acid to give a deep violet solution. Very small quantities (ca 4 of pyrrole can be detected by this method. 

Vinyl chloride reacts with sulfides, thiols, alcohols, and oximes in basic media. Reaction with hydrated sodium sulfide [1313-82-2] in a mixture of dimethyl sulfoxide [67-68-5] (DMSO) and potassium hydroxide [1310-58-3], KOH, yields divinyl sulfide [627-51-0] and sulfur-containing heterocycles (27). Various vinyl sulfides can be obtained by reacting vinyl chloride with thiols in the presence of base (28). Vinyl ethers are produced in similar fashion, from the reaction of vinyl chloride with alcohols in the presence of a strong base (29,30). A variety of pyrroles and indoles have also been prepared by reacting vinyl chloride with different ketoximes or oximes in a mixture of DMSO and KOH (31). 

Diazo coupling occurs very readily between pyrroles and indoles and benzenediazonium salts. Reaction is much more rapid in alkaline solution when the species undergoing reaction... 

The nitrosation of pyrroles and indoles is not a simple process. The 3-nitroso derivatives (84) obtained from indoles exist largely in oximino forms (85) (80IJC(B)767). Nitrosation of pyrrole or alkylpyrroles may result in ring opening or oxidation of the ring and removal of the alkyl groups. This is illustrated by the formation of the maleimide (86) from 2,3,4 -trime thylpyrrole. 

Diborane reduction of pyrrole and indole ketones affords the corresponding alkyl-pyrroles and -indoles <68X1145). 

In order to exploit the reactions of the C-lithio derivatives of iV-unsubstituted pyrroles and indoles, protecting groups such as t-butoxycarbonyl, benzenesulfonyl and dimethyl-amino have been used 81JOC157). This is illustrated by the scheme for preparing C-acylated pyrroles (211) (8UOC3760). 

A mild and effective method for obtaining N- acyl- and N- alkyl-pyrroles and -indoles is to carry out these reactions under phase-transfer conditions (80JOC3172). For example, A-benzenesulfonylpyrrole is best prepared from pyrrole under phase-transfer conditions rather than by intermediate generation of the potassium salt (81TL4901). In this case the softer nature of the tetraalkylammonium cation facilitates reaction on nitrogen. The thallium salts of indoles prepared by reaction with thallium(I) ethoxide, a benzene-soluble liquid. 

PROTECTION FOR IMIDAZOLES, PYRROLES, AND INDOLES A -Sulfonyl Derivatives... 

Sulfonamides (R2NSO2R ) are prepared from an amine and sulfonyl chloride in the presence of pyridine or aqueous base. The sulfonamide is one of the most stable nitrogen protective groups. Arylsulfonamides are stable to alkaline hydrolysis, and to catalytic reduction they are cleaved by Na/NH3, Na/butanol, sodium naphthalenide, or sodium anthracenide, and by refluxing in acid (48% HBr/cat. phenol). Sulfonamides of less basic amines such as pyrroles and indoles are much easier to cleave than are those of the more basic alkyl amines. In fact, sulfonamides of the less basic amines (pyrroles, indoles, and imidazoles) can be cleaved by basic hydrolysis, which is almost impossible for the alkyl amines. Because of the inherent differences between the aromatic — NH group and simple aliphatic amines, the protection of these compounds (pyrroles, indoles, and imidazoles) will be described in a separate section. One appealing proj>erty of sulfonamides is that the derivatives are more crystalline than amides or carbamates. 

CF3CO2H, Me2S, 40-60 min, 100% yield, [Imidazole = His(Tos)]." The related phenylsulfonyl group has been used to protect pyrroles and indoles, and is cleaved with NaOH/H20/dioxane, it, 2 h. " ... 

The BOC group has been introduced onto the imidazole nitrogen of histidine with BOCF (pH 7-8), BOCN3, MgO, and (B0C)20. ° It can be introduced onto pyrroles and indoles with phenyl /-butyl carbonate and NaH, 67-91% yield, or with NaH, BOCN3. ... 

Pyrroles and indoles can be protected with the r-butyldimethylsilyl group by treatment with TBDMSCl and n-BuLi or NaH. Triisopropylsilyl chloride (NaH, DMF, 0°-rt, 73% yield) has been used to protect the pyrrole nitrogen in order to direct electrophilic attack to the 3-position.It has also been used to protect an indole.This derivative can be prepared from the silyl chloride and The silyl protective group is cleaved with Bu4N F , THF, rt or with CF3COOH. 

The POM group is introduced onto pyrroles and indoles by treatment with NaH, (CH3)3CC02CH2C1 in THF at room temperature in 65-78% yield. It is removed by hydrolysis with MeOH, NaOH, or NH3, MeOH (25°, 4 h, 30-80% yield). ... 

The Acid-Catalysed Polymerization of Pyrroles and Indoles G. F. Smith... 

A variant of the Reimer-Tiemann reaction, using chloroform or bromoform with ethanohc sodium ethoxide, has been apphed (mainly by Plancher and co-workers) to certain pyrroles and indoles with interesting results. Thus Bocchi has shown that 2,5-dimethylpyrrole gave 3-halogeno-2,6-dimethylpyridine, and 2,4-dimethylpyrrole with bromoform gave two isomeric bromodimethylpyridines [Eq. (11)]. 

With monochlorocarbene, pyrrole and indole underwent ring expansion to pyridine and quinohne, respectively, and 2,3-dimethyl-indole similarly gave 2,4-dimethylquinohne. ... 

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