Solid-phase rhodium carbenoid n-h insertion reactions: The synthesis of a diverse array of indoles

Academic Article
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publication date

  • March 2003

abstract

  • A solid-phase synthesis of an array of indoles is reported. The key step in our approach involves a N-H insertion reaction of N-alkylanilines into a highly reactive polymer-bound rhodium carbenoid intermediate to yield the corresponding alpha-arylamino-beta-ketoester. These insertion products were then treated under acid-catalyzed cyclodehydration conditions to yield a series of polymer-bound indole esters, which were subsequently cleaved from the resin under Lewis acid-promoted amidation conditions to yield the desired indoles in good yields and with excellent purities.