Volume 62, Issue 8 e202215616
Research Article

I2-Catalyzed Cycloisomerization of Ynamides: Chemoselective and Divergent Access to Indole Derivatives

Bo-Han Zhu

Bo-Han Zhu

College of Chemistry & Materials Engineering, Wenzhou University, Wenzhou, 325035 China

Wenzhou Key Laboratory of Technology and Application of Environmental Functional Materials, Institute of New Materials & Industry Technology, Wenzhou University, Wenzhou, 325000 China

These authors contributed equally to this work.

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Sheng-Bing Ye

Sheng-Bing Ye

College of Chemistry & Materials Engineering, Wenzhou University, Wenzhou, 325035 China

Wenzhou Key Laboratory of Technology and Application of Environmental Functional Materials, Institute of New Materials & Industry Technology, Wenzhou University, Wenzhou, 325000 China

These authors contributed equally to this work.

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Min-Ling Nie

Min-Ling Nie

College of Chemistry & Materials Engineering, Wenzhou University, Wenzhou, 325035 China

Wenzhou Key Laboratory of Technology and Application of Environmental Functional Materials, Institute of New Materials & Industry Technology, Wenzhou University, Wenzhou, 325000 China

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Zhong-Yang Xie

Zhong-Yang Xie

College of Chemistry & Materials Engineering, Wenzhou University, Wenzhou, 325035 China

Wenzhou Key Laboratory of Technology and Application of Environmental Functional Materials, Institute of New Materials & Industry Technology, Wenzhou University, Wenzhou, 325000 China

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Yi-Bo Wang

Yi-Bo Wang

College of Chemistry & Materials Engineering, Wenzhou University, Wenzhou, 325035 China

Wenzhou Key Laboratory of Technology and Application of Environmental Functional Materials, Institute of New Materials & Industry Technology, Wenzhou University, Wenzhou, 325000 China

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Prof. Dr. Peng-Cheng Qian

Corresponding Author

Prof. Dr. Peng-Cheng Qian

College of Chemistry & Materials Engineering, Wenzhou University, Wenzhou, 325035 China

Wenzhou Key Laboratory of Technology and Application of Environmental Functional Materials, Institute of New Materials & Industry Technology, Wenzhou University, Wenzhou, 325000 China

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Prof. Dr. Qing Sun

Corresponding Author

Prof. Dr. Qing Sun

Key Laboratory of Jiangxi Province for Persistent Pollutants Control and Resources Recycle, Nanchang Hangkong University, Nanchang, 330063 China

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Prof. Dr. Long-Wu Ye

Prof. Dr. Long-Wu Ye

State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces and College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361005 China

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Prof. Dr. Long Li

Corresponding Author

Prof. Dr. Long Li

College of Chemistry & Materials Engineering, Wenzhou University, Wenzhou, 325035 China

Wenzhou Key Laboratory of Technology and Application of Environmental Functional Materials, Institute of New Materials & Industry Technology, Wenzhou University, Wenzhou, 325000 China

State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces and College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361005 China

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Dedicated to 90th anniversary of Wenzhou University
First published: 26 December 2022
Citations: 6

Graphical Abstract

An I2-catalyzed unprecedented cycloisomerization of ynamides is developed, allowing various bis(indole) derivatives in good to excellent yields with wide substrate scope, which not only represents the first molecular iodine-catalyzed tandem complex alkyne cycloisomerizations but also constitutes the first chemoselective cycloisomerization of tryptamine-ynamides involving distinctively different C−C (alkyl) bond cleavage and rearrangement.

Abstract

Herein, an I2-catalyzed unprecedented cycloisomerization of ynamides is developed, furnishing various functionalized bis(indole) derivatives in generally good to excellent yields with wide substrate scope and excellent atom-economy. This protocol not only represents the first molecular-iodine-catalyzed tandem complex alkyne cycloisomerizations, but also constitutes the first chemoselective cycloisomerization of tryptamine-ynamides involving distinctively different C(sp3)−C(sp3) bond cleavage and rearrangement. Moreover, chiral tetrahydropyridine frameworks containing two stereocenters are obtained with moderate to excellent diastereoselectivities and excellent enantioselectivities. Meanwhile, cycloisomerization and aromatization of ynamides produce pyrrolyl indoles with high efficiency enabled by I2. Additionally, control experiments and theoretical calculations reveal that this reaction probably undergoes a tandem 5-exo-dig cyclization/rearrangement process.

Conflict of interest

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Data Availability Statement

The data that support the findings of this study are available in the Supporting Information of this article.

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