Pd(II)/Lewis acid catalyzed regioselective olefination of indole with dioxygen

Org Biomol Chem. 2022 Feb 16;20(7):1425-1435. doi: 10.1039/d2ob00006g.

Abstract

Transition metal ion catalyzed indole olefination through C-H activation is a convenient protocol to synthesize versatile bioactive vinylindole compounds; however, in most cases, stoichiometric amounts of oxidants were necessary to accomplish the catalytic cycle. The present study describes a Pd(II)/LA (LA: Lewis acid) catalyzed indole olefination with dioxygen as the sole oxidant. The olefination reaction with electron-rich olefins proceeded smoothly through the pyrrolyl N-carboxamide group directed remote C-H activation at the C3 position of the indole with the Pd(II)/LA catalyst, whereas Pd(II) alone was a very sluggish catalyst under identical conditions. For the electron-deficient olefins, the directing N-carboxamide group was not essential for olefination with this Pd(II)/LA catalyst, demonstrating a different olefination pathway from that of electron-rich olefins. Remarkably, 1H NMR kinetics disclosed that olefination proceeded much faster with electron-rich olefins than with electron-deficient ones.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't