Enantioselective Friedel-Crafts reaction of indoles with carbonyl compounds catalyzed by bifunctional cinchona alkaloids.
In this communication, we report an efficient asymmetric Friedel-Crafts reaction that, unprecedently, is applicable to a wide range of both indoles and carbonyls. The use of a readily accessible catalyst in combination with a high enantioselectivity that is insensitive to reaction concentration, temperature, air, and moisture should allow this reaction to provide useful enantioselective access to new chiral indole derivatives. [reaction: see text]
Li
Hongming
H
Department of Chemistry, Brandeis University, Waltham, MA 02454-9110, USA.
Wang
Yong-Qiang
YQ
Deng
Li
L
D002384:Catalysis; D002930:Cinchona Alkaloids / Q000737:chemistry*; D007211:Indoles / Q000737:chemistry*; D008967:Molecular Biology
D002930:Cinchona Alkaloids; D007211:Indoles