Efficient Palladium-Catalyzed Oxidative Indolation of Allylic Compounds with DDQ via sp3 C-H Bond Activation and Carbon-Carbon Bond Formation Under Mild Conditions

An efficient oxidative cross-coupling reaction between 1,3-diarylpropenes and indoles in the presence of palladium chloride was achieved with 2,3-dichloro-5,6-dicyanoquinone (DDQ) as oxidant. The reaction afforded 1,3-diphenylallylindoles in moderate to high yields under mild conditions, thus providing a novel methodology to synthesize the respective products.