Direct Synthesis of Indoles from Azoarenes and Ketones with Bis(neopentylglycolato)diboron Using 4,4′-Bipyridyl as an Organocatalyst
Luis C. Misal Castro, Ibrahim Sultan, Kohei Nishi, Hayato Tsurugi, Kazushi Mashima
Abstract
Multifunctionalized indole derivatives were prepared by reducing azoarenes in the presence of ketones and bis(neopentylglycolato)diboron (B2nep2) with a catalytic amount of 4,4′-bipyridyl under neutral reaction conditions, where 4,4′-bipyridyl acted as an organocatalyst to activate the B–B bond of B2nep2 and form N,N′-diboryl-1,2-diarylhydrazines as key intermediates. Further reaction of N,N′-diboryl-1,2-diarylhydrazines with ketones afforded N-vinyl-1,2-diarylhydrazines, which rearranged to the corresponding indoles via the Fischer indole mechanism. This organocatalytic system was applied to diverse alkyl cyclic ketones, dialkyl, and alkyl/aryl ketones, including heteroatoms. Methyl alkyl ketones gave the corresponding 2-methyl-3-substituted indoles in a regioselective manner. This protocol allowed us to expand the preparation of indoles having high compatibility with not only electron-donating and electron-withdrawing groups but also N- and O-protecting functional groups.