Synlett 2010(17): 2607-2610  
DOI: 10.1055/s-0030-1258584
LETTER
© Georg Thieme Verlag Stuttgart ˙ New York

Ag2O-Mediated Intramolecular Oxidative Coupling of Acetoacetanilides for the Synthesis of 3-Acetyloxindoles

Zhengsen Yu, Lijuan Ma, Wei Yu*
State Key Laboratory of Applied Organic Chemistry, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, Gansu 730000, P. R. of China
Fax: +86(931)8915557; e-Mail: yuwei@lzu.edu.cn;
Further Information

Publication History

Received 7 July 2010
Publication Date:
23 September 2010 (online)

Abstract

The intramolecular oxidative Csp²-Csp³ coupling of N-substituted acetoacetanilides was achieved by using Ag2O as the oxidant. The reaction constitutes a convenient approach toward 3-acetyloxindoles from unfunctionalized acetoacetanilides.

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General Procedure for the Reactions of 1 To a solution of 1 (0.5 mmol) in DMF (5 mL) was added Cs2CO3 (1.0 mmol) and Ag2O (0.55 mmol). The mixture was stirred under argon at 50 ˚C for 7 h (or at 80 ˚C for 4 h). After the reaction was complete, the mixture was filtered though Celite and washed with EtOAc. The filtrate was added into sat. NH4Cl solution and extracted with EtOAc for three times. The combined organic phase was washed with brine and dried with anhyd MgSO4. The solvent was then removed under reduced pressure, and the residual was subjected to silica gel chromatography to give the product 2.

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General Procedure for the Reactions of 3 To a solution of 3 (0.5 mmol) in DMF (10 mL) was added Cs2CO3 (1.0 mmol) and Ag2O (0.55 mmol). The mixture was stirred under argon at 50 ˚C for 7 h (for 3a, the reaction temperature was 80 ˚C). After the reaction was complete, the mixture was filtered though Celite and washed with EtOAc. The filtrate was added into sat. NH4Cl solution and extracted with EtOAc for three times. The combined organic phase was washed with brine and dried with anhyd MgSO4. The solvent was then removed under reduced pressure, and the residual was subjected to silica gel chromatography to give the product 4.