Ghorai J, Ramachandran K, Anbarasan P. Rhodium-Catalyzed Annulation of
N-Acetoxyacetanilide with Substituted Alkynes: Conversion of Nitroarenes to Substituted Indoles.
J Org Chem 2021;
86:14812-14825. [PMID:
34623800 DOI:
10.1021/acs.joc.1c01604]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
A general and efficient rhodium-catalyzed redox-neutral annulation of N-acetoxyacetanilides, readily accessible from nitroarenes, with alkynes has been accomplished for the synthesis of substituted indole derivatives. A wide range of substituted 2,3-diarylindoles were achieved from various substituted N-acetoxyacetanilides and symmetrical/unsymmetrical alkynes in good to excellent yields. The developed method was successfully integrated with the synthesis of N-acetoxyacetanilides for the efficient one-pot synthesis of indoles from nitroarenes. The important features are the introduction of N-acetoxyacetamide as a new directing group, redox-neutral annulation, an additive-free approach, wide functional group tolerance, an intramolecular version, and a one-pot reaction of nitroarenes. The method was further extended to the synthesis of potent higher analogues of indole, viz., pyrrolo[3,2-f]indoles and dibenzo[a,c]carbazoles. In addition, a plausible mechanism was proposed based on the isolation and stoichiometric study of a potential aryl-Rh intermediate.
Collapse