title: A bimetallic catalyst and dual role catalyst: synthesis of N-(alkoxycarbonyl)indoles from 2-(alkynyl)phenylisocyanates.
abstract: 3-allyl-N-(alkoxycarbonyl)indoles are synthesized via the reaction of 2-(alkynyl)phenylisocyanates and allyl carbonates in the presence of Pd(PPh(3))(4) (1 mol %) and CuCl (4 mol %) bimetallic catalyst. It is most probable that Pd(0) acts as a catalyst for the formation of a pi-allylpalladium alkoxide intermediate and Cu(I) behaves as a Lewis acid to activate the isocyanate, and the cyclization step proceeds with a cooperative catalytic activity of Pd and Cu. On the other hand, N-(alkoxycarbonyl)indoles are produced via the reaction of 2-(alkynyl)phenylisocyanates and alcohols under a catalytic amount of Na(2)PdCl(4) (5 mol %) or PtCl(2) (5 mol %). Pd(II) or Pt(II) catalyst exhibits dual roles; it acts as a Lewis acid to accelerate the addition of alcohols to isocyanates and as a typical transition-metal catalyst to activate the alkyne for the subsequent cyclization.
authors.affiliation: Research Center for Sustainable Materials Engineering, Institute of Multidisciplinary Research for Advanced Materials, and Department of Chemistry, Graduate School of Science, Tohoku University, Sendai 980-8578, Japan.
authors.forename: Shin
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kamijo
authors.forename: Yoshinori
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yamamoto