Titanium-catalyzed indole synthesis

Hydroamination reactions of alkynes provide an alternate route to arylhydrazones that can be utilized in the Fischer indole synthesis. Treatment of arylhydrazine 99 with alkyne 100 in the presence of catalyst system comprised of titanium tetrachloride and /-butylamine afforded arylhydrazone intermediate 101 which underwent a Fischer cyclization to give 1,2,3-trisubstituted indole 102 as a single regioisomer <04TL9541>. A similar titanium-catalyzed hydroamination reaction was utilized to prepare tryptamine derivatives <04TL3123>. 

Scheme 13.4 (a) Titanium-catalyzed hydrohydrazination of alkynes and subsequent ZnCl2-catalyzed Fischer indole synthesis, (b) Postulated... 

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