A domino Friedel-Crafts/nitro-Michael reaction between 4-substituted indoles and nitroethene is presented. The reaction is catalyzed by BINOL-derived phosphoric acid catalysts, and delivers the corresponding 3,4-ring-fused indoles with very good results in terms of yields and diastereo- and enantioselectivities. The tricyclic benzo[cd]indole products bear a nitro group at the right position to serve as precursors of ergot alkaloids, as demonstrated by the formal synthesis of 6,7-secoagroclavine from one of the adducts. DFT calculations suggest that the outcome of the reaction stems from the preferential evolution of a key nitronic acid intermediate through a nucleophilic addition pathway, rather than to the expected "quenching" through protonation.

Catalytic Asymmetric Reactions of 4-Substituted Indoles with Nitroethene: A Direct Entry to Ergot Alkaloid Structures

CARUANA, LORENZO;MAZZANTI, ANDREA;FOCHI, MARIAFRANCESCA
;
BERNARDI, LUCA
2015

Abstract

A domino Friedel-Crafts/nitro-Michael reaction between 4-substituted indoles and nitroethene is presented. The reaction is catalyzed by BINOL-derived phosphoric acid catalysts, and delivers the corresponding 3,4-ring-fused indoles with very good results in terms of yields and diastereo- and enantioselectivities. The tricyclic benzo[cd]indole products bear a nitro group at the right position to serve as precursors of ergot alkaloids, as demonstrated by the formal synthesis of 6,7-secoagroclavine from one of the adducts. DFT calculations suggest that the outcome of the reaction stems from the preferential evolution of a key nitronic acid intermediate through a nucleophilic addition pathway, rather than to the expected "quenching" through protonation.
2015
Romanini, Simone; Galletti, Emilio; Caruana, Lorenzo; Mazzanti, Andrea; Himo, Fahmi; Santoro, Stefano; Fochi, Mariafrancesca; Bernardi, Luca
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Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/11585/544608
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