Copper(II)-Catalyzed Direct C3 Chalcogenylation of Indoles

3-Chalcogenylindoles serve as crucial building blocks in organic synthesis and pharmaceutical chemistry. Herein, we describe a simple and general synthesis of 3-chalcogenylindoles through the direct C–H chalcogenation of indoles using <i>N</i>-selenophthalimide and <i>N</i>-s...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Liuyan Pan, Shengwei Chen, Dongfang Wu, Jian Shao, Xiaofeng Bao, Gong-Qing Liu
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-04-01
Series:Molecules
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/1420-3049/30/9/1870
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Summary:3-Chalcogenylindoles serve as crucial building blocks in organic synthesis and pharmaceutical chemistry. Herein, we describe a simple and general synthesis of 3-chalcogenylindoles through the direct C–H chalcogenation of indoles using <i>N</i>-selenophthalimide and <i>N</i>-sulfenylsuccinimide as chalcogenation reagents in the presence of CuBr<sub>2</sub> as the catalyst. The reactions were carried out in CH<sub>2</sub>Cl<sub>2</sub> at room temperature under an air atmosphere with a low loading of catalyst, and a wide range of 3-selenylindoles and 3-thioindoles were obtained in good yields. Various functionalities, namely, methyl, methoxy, halo, ester, cyano, trifluoromethyl, and formyl groups on indoles, have shown amenability to the developed reaction. A mechanism involving the activation of the chalcogenation agent through CuBr<sub>2</sub> coordination with the amide carbonyl group is proposed.
ISSN:1420-3049