Synthesis 2014; 46(13): 1717-1724
DOI: 10.1055/s-0033-1341156
paper
© Georg Thieme Verlag Stuttgart · New York

Iridium-Catalyzed C-3 Allylation of Indoles with Allylic Alcohols Promoted by a Brønsted Acid

Shu-jie Chen
Chemical Engineering College, Nanjing University of Science & Technology, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210094, P. R. of China   Email: c.cai@mail.njust.edu.cn   Fax: +86(25)84315030
,
Guo-ping Lu
Chemical Engineering College, Nanjing University of Science & Technology, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210094, P. R. of China   Email: c.cai@mail.njust.edu.cn   Fax: +86(25)84315030
,
Chun Cai*
Chemical Engineering College, Nanjing University of Science & Technology, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210094, P. R. of China   Email: c.cai@mail.njust.edu.cn   Fax: +86(25)84315030
› Author Affiliations
Further Information

Publication History

Received: 12 January 2014

Accepted after revision: 17 March 2014

Publication Date:
10 April 2014 (online)


Abstract

A highly regioselective method has been developed for the allylation of indoles with an iridium catalyst. This regioselective procedure uses allylic alcohols directly as allylating agents in the presence of a catalytic amount of sulfuric acid. A wide range of indoles reacted smoothly with asymmetrical allylic alcohols to give the corresponding branched products in branched-to-linear ratios of up to 99:1 and yields as high as 92%. A series of inorganic and organic acids were tested in this approach, and it was shown that acids with pK a values in acetonitrile of less than 15 are required in this iridium-catalyzed system.

Supporting Information