title: Benign synthesis of indoles from anilines and epoxides: new application for ruthenium pincer catalysts.
abstract: For the first time, ruthenium pincer complexes such as Ru-MACHO-BH were successfully used as catalysts in the domino-synthesis of indoles from anilines and epoxides. Following previously optimised procedures, a variety of indoles were produced in an atom-efficient manner with water and hydrogen as the only stoichiometric side-products. The β-amino alcohol, resulting from the ring-opening of the epoxide with the aniline derivative, undergoes dehydrogenation, followed by condensation with excess aniline and the final intramolecular cyclisation affords the desired indole. Ru-MACHO-BH showed similar catalytic activity than our previously reported in situ prepared catalyst (Ru3(CO)12/dppf) without further optimisation of the reaction conditions.
authors.affiliation: Leibniz-Institut für Katalyse e.V. an der Universität, Rostock, Albert-Einstein-Strasse 29a, D-18059 Rostock, Germany.
authors.forename: Angèle
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Monney
authors.affiliation: Leibniz-Institut für Katalyse e.V. an der Universität, Rostock, Albert-Einstein-Strasse 29a, D-18059 Rostock, Germany.
authors.forename: Miguel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Peña-López
authors.affiliation: Leibniz-Institut für Katalyse e.V. an der Universität, Rostock, Albert-Einstein-Strasse 29a, D-18059 Rostock, Germany. matthias.beller@catalysis.de.
authors.forename: Matthias
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Beller