Transition-metal-free tunable chemoselective N functionalization of indoles with ynamides.

ABSTRACT

Two unprecedented N functionalizations of indoles with ynamides are described. By varying the electron-withdrawing group on the ynamide nitrogen atom, either Z-indolo-etheneamides or indolo-amidines can be selectively obtained under the same metal-free reaction conditions. The scope and synthetic potential of these reactions, as well as some mechanistic insights provided by DFT calculations, are reported.