Metal-free sp3 C-H bond dual-(het)arylation: I2-promoted domino process to construct 2,2-bisindolyl-1-arylethanones.

ABSTRACT

A molecular I(2)-promoted sp(3) C-H bond dual-(het)arylation protocol was developed for the synthesis of 2,2-bisindolyl-1-arylethanones. Through a logical design, three mechanism-different reactions (iodination, Kornblum oxidation, and Friedel-Crafts reaction) were assembled in a single reactor. A variety of 2,2-bisindolyl-1-aryl ethanones were synthesized from simple and readily available aryl methyl ketones and indoles. In the reaction, metal, base, and ligand were all avoidable.