X-ray characterization of an electron donor-acceptor complex that drives the photochemical alkylation of indoles.

A metal-free, photochemical strategy for the direct alkylation of indoles was developed. The reaction, which occurs at ambient temperature, is driven by the photochemical activity of electron donor-acceptor (EDA) complexes, generated upon association of substituted 1H-indoles with electron-accepting benzyl and phenacyl bromides. Significant mechanistic insights are provided by the X-ray single-crystal analysis of an EDA complex relevant to the photoalkylation and the determination of the quantum yield (Φ) of the process.

Aerobic palladium(II)-catalyzed dehydrogenation of cyclohexene-1-carbonyl indole amides: an indole-directed aromatization.

A palladium(II)-catalyzed oxidative dehydrogenation of cyclohexene-1-carbonyl indole amides yielding the corresponding benzoylindoles is reported. The new aromatization is also applied to functionalized indoles such as tryptamine and tryptophan. The tethered indole is likely acting as a directing group for allylic C-H bond activation, and there is evidence for a mechanism proceeding through 1,3-diene formation followed by aromatization.