2-(3-Indolyl)acetamides and their oxazoline analogues: Anticancer SAR study.

We previously studied 2-aryl-2-(3-indolyl)acetohydroxamates as potential agents against melanoma. These compounds were ineffective in a mouse melanoma xenograft model, most likely due to unfavorable metabolic properties, specifically due to glucuronidation of the N-hydroxyl of the hydoxamic moiety. In the present work, we prepared a series of analogues, 2-aryl-2-(3-indolyl)acetamides and their oxazoline derivatives, which do not contain the N-hydroxyl group.

One-Pot Arylative Benzannulation of 2-Carbonyl-3-propargyl Indoles with Boronic Acids Leading to Arylated Carbazoles.

Arylative annulation of 2-carbonyl-3-propargyl indoles with boronic acids under sequential palladium/triflic acid catalysis is described. The present strategy to provide di- and triaryl carbazoles in one pot involves benzannulation through difunctionalization of alkynes. The strategy showed a good substrate scope with respect to boronic acids as well as 2-carbonyl-3-propargyl indoles to afford the corresponding carbazoles in decent yields.

One-Pot Assembly of 3-Hydroxycarbazoles via Uninterrupted Propargylation/Hydroxylative Benzannulation Reactions.

A novel strategy for the synthesis of 3-hydroxycarbazoles involving the consecutive propargylation/palladium-catalyzed hydroxylative benzannulation of indole-2-carbonyls with propargylic alcohols has been exploited. This one-pot procedure leads to a wide range of substituted 3-hydroxycarbazoles in high yield with a broad substrate scope. The method was further extended to access furano-carbazole derivatives from dialkynols via tandem annulations.

Metal-free propargylation/aza-annulation approach to substituted β-carbolines and evaluation of their photophysical properties.

An efficient acid-catalyzed propargylation/aza-annulation sequence was developed under metal-free reaction conditions, thus leading to a one-pot synthesis of a variety of substituted β-carbolines starting from propargylic alcohols and indole 2-carbonyls. This versatile strategy was further extended to the synthesis of 5-azaindoles and 5-azabenzothiazoles. Optical properties suggested that manipulation of electron donor and acceptor moieties on β-carbolines has an impact on their ground and excited state electronic behavior.

[4 + 2] Benzannulation of 3-Alkenylpyrroles/Thiophenes with Propargylic Alcohols: Access to Substituted Indoles, Benzothiophenes, and Aza[5]helicenes.

An efficient and practical one-pot [4 + 2] benzannulation method to produce highly substituted indoles and 1-benzothiophenes via sequential acid-catalyzed propargylation/base-mediated cycloisomerization reactions has been developed. This method allows access to differently substituted (mainly on phenyl ring) indoles and 1-benzothiophenes from the reaction of 3-alkenylpyrroles/-thiophenes as C4 synthons with 1-aryl/1-heteroaryl propargylic alcohols as C2 synthons. Interestingly, dialkynyl substrates can undergo tandem benzannulations to give substituted aza[5]helicenes in 82-83% yield.