3-(2-Alken-1-one-2-yl)indoles through the palladium-catalyzed reaction of 2-alkynyltrifluoroacetanilides with cyclic α-iodoenones

alpha-Iodoenones can be efficiently employed as organic electrophiles in the Pd-catalyzed synthesis of 2, 3-disubstituted indoles from 2-alkynyltrifluoroacetanilides. Best results were obtained using the weak ligand As(Ph)(3). The methodology reported provides an efficient entry to indoles bearing a 2-alkenon-2-yl moiety linked in the 3-position, that possesses a scarcely reported substitution pattern. (C) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.