A novel linker for the solid-phase synthesis of substituted 1-methylindoles has been developed. The linker is stable under strong basic conditions and compatible with a broad range of chemical transformations as demonstrated by electrophilic and nucleophilic substitution reactions in the 2-position of the indole nucleus. Indoles are cleaved under reductive conditions by use of alane resulting in 1-methylindole derivatives. Sensitive functional groups in the indole moiety such as aldehydes, ketones, esters, imines, and amides are reduced simultaneously.
combinatorial chemistry - solid phase synthesis - derivatisation of indoles - nucleophilic aromatic substitution - reductive cleavage