Chiral Brønsted Acid‐Mediated Enantioselective Organocatalytic Three‐Component Reaction for the Construction of Trifluoromethyl‐Containing Molecules

In combination with the advantages of organocatalysis, we have developed a highly enantioselective Friedel–Crafts aminoalkylation of indoles with imines generated in situ from trifluoroacetaldehyde methyl hemiacetal and aniline. Novel chiral trifluoromethyl‐containing compounds were obtained in high yields with excellent enantioselectivities. This methodology was further extended to difluoroacetaldehyde methyl hemiacetal to demonstrate the broad scope of substrates.     

Facile Creation of 3‐Indolyl‐3‐hydroxy‐2‐oxindoles by an Organocatalytic Enantioselective Friedel–Crafts Reaction of Indoles with Isatins

The first direct enantioselective Friedel–Crafts reaction of indoles with isatins has been developed. The process is catalyzed by simple cupreine under mild reaction conditions and affords synthetically and biologically interesting, chiral 3‐indolyl‐3‐hydroxy‐2‐oxindoles in good yields (68–97%) and with high enantioselectivities (76–91%).     

Hafnium Triflate as an Efficient Catalyst for Direct Friedel–Crafts Reactions of Chromene Hemiacetals

The direct Friedel–Crafts reaction of chromene hemiacetals with indoles, furans and sterically hindered anilines has been accomplished with high selectivity and excellent yields in the presence of a catalytic amount of hafnium triflate [Hf(OTf)₄, 0.1 mol%, 0–40 °C]. The mild conditions tolerate various sensitive functional and protecting groups, and the products were confirmed unambiguously from their spectra and by single‐crystal X‐ray analysis. This direct Friedel–Crafts reaction of chromene hemiacetals should inspire and encourage the consideration of hafnium triflate in the development of mild reaction conditions for the efficient derivatization of hemiacetal‐containing compounds.     

Highly Enantioselective Zinc‐Catalyzed Friedel–Crafts Alkylation of Indoles with Ethyl Trifluoropyruvate

A highly enantioselective Friedel–Crafts alkylation of indoles with ethyl trifluoropyruvate has been developed using N,N′‐dioxide‐zinc(II) complexes. Both enantiomers of the desired adducts were obtained by the use of enantiomeric ligands in excellent results (up to 99% yield and 98% ee) within 0.5 h under mild conditions. On the basis of the experimental results, a proposed working model was proposed to explain the origin of the asymmetric induction.     

A New One‐Pot Synthesis of Polysubstituted Indoles from Pyrroles and β‐Nitroacrylates

The reaction of β‐nitroacrylates with pyrroles, under solvent‐ and catalyst‐free conditions, allows the formation of Friedel–Crafts adducts which, after in situ treatment with Amberlyst 15 in isopropyl alcohol under reflux, provide polysubstituted indoles, via a benzannulation reaction, in a one‐pot process.     

Triarylaminium Salt‐Initiated Aerobic Double Friedel–Crafts Reaction of Glycine Derivatives with Indoles

A novel and efficient stable radical cation triarylaminium salt‐catalyzed aerobic double Friedel–Crafts alkylation reaction of glycine derivatives with indoles has been developed. The reaction was performed in the absence of any other additives under mild conditions and only requires an air atmosphere (or oxygen, 1 atm) as co‐oxidant.     

Chiral Phosphoric Acid‐Catalyzed Enantioselective Aza‐Friedel–Crafts Alkylation of Indoles with γ‐Hydroxy‐γ‐lactams

An enantioselective aza‐Friedel–Crafts reaction of indoles with γ‐hydroxy‐γ‐lactams using a chiral phosphoric acid catalyst is reported. The approach described herein provides an efficient access to 5‐indolylpyrrolidinones in good to quantitative yields and excellent enantioselectivities (up to >99% ee). The results suggest that the reaction may proceed via N‐acyliminium intermediates associated with the chiral phosphoric acid anion.     

Chiral Imidodiphosphoric Acids‐Catalyzed Friedel–Crafts Reactions of Indoles/Pyrroles with 3‐Hydroxy‐indolyloxindoles: Enantioselective Synthesis of 3,3‐Diaryloxindoles

The first enantioselective Friedel–Crafts alkylation of indoles and pyrroles with 3‐hydroxy‐3‐indolyloxindoles to access two novel types of 3,3‐diaryloxindoles catalyzed by chiral imidodiphosphoric acids has been reported. A range of quaternary carbon centered 3,3‐diaryloxindoles were synthesized in high yield (up to >99%) with excellent enantioselectivity (up to 98% ee) at low catalyst loadings (as low as 0.5 mol%). The Friedel–Crafts reaction between indoles and 3‐hydroxy‐3‐indolyloxindoles is amenable to gram scale syntheses.

     

Synthesis of N‐Heteroaryl(trifluoromethyl)hydroxyalkanoic Acid Esters by Highly Efficient Solid Acid‐Catalyzed Hydroxyalkylation of Indoles and Pyrroles with Activated Trifluoromethyl Ketones

The synthesis of N‐heteroaryl(trifluoromethyl)hydroxyalkanoic acid esters by solid acid‐catalyzed Friedel–Crafts hydroxyalkylation of indoles and pyrroles with ethyl 3,3,3‐trifluoropyruvate and ethyl 4,4,4‐trifluoroacetoacetate is described. The inexpensive and readily available K‐10 montmorillonite is found to be an efficient catalyst for the synthesis of a wide variety of trifluoromethylated indol‐3‐yl‐ and pyrrol‐2‐yl‐hydroxypropionic and ‐butanoic acid esters. Using a series of substituted indoles and pyrroles the corresponding products were isolated in excellent yield (up to 98%) and 100% selectivity under mild experimental conditions, during very short reaction times. Beyond these, the ease of product isolation, catalyst stability and handling make this process an attractive, environmentally benign alternative for the synthesis of the target compounds.     

Novel Enantiocomplementary C2‐Symmetric Chiral Bis(imidazoline) Ligands: Highly Enantioselective Friedel–Crafts Alkylation of Indoles with Ethyl 3,3,3‐Trifluoropyruvate

Enantioselective Friedel–Crafts alkylations of a variety of indoles with ethyl 3,3,3‐trifluoropyruvate catalyzed by novel chiral m‐phenylenebis(imidazoline)‐copper(II) complexes or the bis(imidazoline)‐achiral acid combination afforded products with high enantioselectivity. Both enantiomers of indole derivatives can be prepared with high enantioselectivities by tuning the N‐substituents of the imidazoline.     

Gold‐Catalyzed Intermolecular Reactions of (Z)‐Enynols with Indoles for the Construction of Dihydrocyclohepta[b]indole Skeletons through a Cascade Friedel–Crafts/Hydroarylation Sequence

An efficient domino approach for the synthesis of indole‐fused carbocycles and their analogues from the reactions of suitably substituted (Z)‐enynols with indoles or pyrroles under mild reaction conditions was developed. This methodology is realized by a tandem reaction using Au/Ag catalysts, which could catalyze both of the Friedel–Crafts and the hydroarylation reaction in the same vessel.     

Asymmetric Friedel–Crafts Alkylations of Indoles with Ethyl Glyoxylate Catalyzed by (S)‐BINOL‐Titanium(IV) Complex: Direct Access to Enantiomerically Enriched 3‐Indolyl(hydroxy)acetates

Enantioselective Friedel–Crafts alkylation reactions of a variety of indoles with ethyl glyoxylate, catalyzed by a chiral (S)‐BINOL‐Ti(IV) complex (10 mol %), are reported. The corresponding ethyl 3‐indolyl(hydroxy)acetates were formed in good yields and with high enantiomeric excess (up to 96 %). When methyl pyruvate or p‐chlorophenylglyoxal was used, the bisindole compound was obtained in excellent yield. A possible mechanism is proposed.     

Site‐Selective Iron(III) Chloride‐Catalyzed Arylation of 4‐Aryl‐4‐methoxy‐2,5‐cyclohexadienones for the Synthesis of Polyarylated Phenols

The iron(III) chloride‐catalyzed Friedel–Crafts arylation of 4‐aryl‐4‐methoxy‐2,5‐cyclohexadienones, which were easily prepared by the phenyliodine(III) diacetate (PIDA)‐mediated oxidation of 4‐arylphenols in methanol, proceeded site‐selectively to form meta‐terphenyl (2,4‐diarylphenol) derivatives in good yields. The subsequent PIDA‐mediated oxidation and iron(III) chloride‐catalyzed Friedel–Crafts arylation of the resulting products gave the corresponding 2,4,6‐triarylphenol derivatives. The present method provides useful highly substituted polyarylated compounds.

     

2,6‐Bis(amido)benzoic Acid with Internal Hydrogen Bond as Brønsted Acid Catalyst for Friedel–Crafts Reaction of Indoles

Benzoic acid catalysts bearing two amide groups that increase the Brønsted acidity of the carboxylic acid moiety by internal hydrogen‐bonding interactions were designed as a novel class of carboxylic acid catalysts for the Friedel–Crafts reaction of indoles with β‐nitrostyrenes and 3,3‐disubstituted 3H‐indoles to obtain the corresponding Friedel–Crafts adducts in high yields. The internal hydrogen‐bonding benzoic acid catalysts have a relatively high Brønsted acidity compared with benzoic acid based on the pK_a measurements in DMSO by UV spectrophotometric titration.

     

Highly Enantioselective Friedel–Crafts Reaction of Indole with Alkylidenemalonates Catalyzed by Heteroarylidene Malonate‐Derived Bis(oxazoline) Copper(II) Complexes

A series of cheap and easily accessible heteroarylidenemalonate‐derived bis(oxazoline) ligands 1 and 2 were synthesized and their copper(II) complexes were applied to the catalytic Friedel–Crafts reaction between indoles and diethyl alkylidenemalonates, Excellent asymmetric enantioselectivities were afforded for the S‐enantiomer (up to >99% ee) in isobutyl alcohol, and the R‐enantiomer (up to 96.5% ee) in dichloromethane.     

An Efficient Bismuth(III) Chloride‐Catalyzed Synthesis of 1,1‐Diarylalkenes via Friedel–Crafts Reaction of Acyl Chloride or Vinyl Chloride with Arenes

In the presence of catalytic amount of bismuth(III) chloride, the reactions of acyl chlorides or vinyl chlorides with arenes afforded 1,1‐diarylalkenes in 25–82 % isolated yield. In the case of the reaction of acyl chlorides with arenes, the procedure includes an initial Friedel–Crafts acylation, subsequent formation of vinyl chlorides and final Friedel–Crafts‐type vinylation of another arene molecule with vinyl chloride. This paper reports the first Lewis acid‐catalyzed cleavage of the C Cl bond of vinyl chloride and its application in the synthesis of multiply subtituted alkenes.     

Asymmetric Friedel–Crafts Reaction of Indoles with Ethyl Trifluoropyruvate Using a Copper(I)‐Bisoxazolidine Catalyst

Bisoxazolidine 1 is an effective ligand in the copper(I)‐catalyzed Friedel–Crafts reaction of alkyl trifluoropyruvates and indoles. A range of ethyl 2‐(3′‐indolyl)‐3,3,3‐trifluoro‐2‐hydroxypropanoates was produced in up to 99% yield and 94% ee within 30 min to 4 h. The effect of temperature on conversion and enantioselectivity proved to be substrate specific and was optimized individually. Of particular interest is that this method tolerates the presence of substituents in various positions in the indole ring. Yields ranging from 90–97% and ee values between 90 and 94% were obtained at optimized temperatures with substrates carrying substituents in position 1 or 7.     

Chemoselective Cascade Synthesis of N‐Fused Heterocycles via Silver(I) Triflate‐Catalyzed Friedel–Crafts/N‐C Bond Formation Sequence

An efficient cascade methodology toward chemoselective synthesis of N‐fused heterocycles including 9H‐pyrrolo[1,2‐a]indole, 3H‐pyrrolo[1,2‐a]indole and 1H‐pyrrolo[1,2‐a]indole derivatives has been developed. This transformation proceeds via a silver(I) triflate‐catalyzed consecutive Friedel–Crafts reaction/N C bond formation sequence between readily available propargyl alcohols and 3‐substituted 1H‐indoles. Not only is excellent chemoselectivity observed according to the substitution patterns of propargyl alcohols, but also the Lewis acid‐catalyzed N C bond formation process can be carried out under base‐ and ligand‐free conditions.     

An Asymmetric Organocatalytic Quadruple Cascade Initiated by a Friedel–Crafts‐Type Reaction with Electron‐Rich Arenes

An organocatalytic quadruple domino reaction initiated by a Friedel–Crafts‐type reaction of electron‐rich arenes is described. The procedure involving up to three different Michael acceptors afforded highly functionalized cyclohexenecarbaldehydes bearing an aniline moiety, which are of great pharmaceutical and agricultural interest. This diphenylprolinol trimethylsilyl ether‐catalyzed reaction also generates up to 4 contiguous stereocenters. It could be shown that various functional groups are tolerated and all products were obtained with very good diastereo‐ and excellent enantioselectivity.     

Chiral N,N′‐Dioxide‐Zinc(II) Complex‐Catalyzed Asymmetric Aza‐Friedel–Crafts Reaction of Isatin‐Derived Ketimines with Indoles

A highly efficient chiral N,N′‐dioxide‐zinc(II) complex catalytic system has been developed for the enantioselective aza‐Friedel–Crafts reaction of isatin‐derived ketimines with indoles. A series of enantiomerically enriched 3‐indolyl‐3‐aminooxindoles containing a tetrasubstituted stereocenter were obtained in up to 99% yield with up to 96% ee. Furthermore, control experiments provide a fundamental sight into the mechanism of the reaction.