Chiral phosphoric acid catalyzed asymmetric friedel-crafts alkylation of indoles with simple α,β-unsaturated aromatic ketones

Asymmetric Michael-type Friedel-Crafts (F-C) alkylations of indoles with nonchelating alpha,beta-unsaturated aromatic ketones catalyzed by a chiral H-8-BINOL-based phosphoric acid were investigated. The reactions took place smoothly in the presence of only 2 mol-% of catalyst at room temperature to afford the desired F-C alkylation products in good yields and with moderate enantioselectivities. ((c) Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, 69451 Weinheim, Germany, 2008) Asymmetric Michael-type Friedel-Crafts (F-C) alkylations of indoles with nonchelating alpha,beta-unsaturated aromatic ketones catalyzed by a chiral H-8-BINOL-based phosphoric acid were investigated. The reactions took place smoothly in the presence of only 2 mol-% of catalyst at room temperature to afford the desired F-C alkylation products in good yields and with moderate enantioselectivities. ((c) Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, 69451 Weinheim, Germany, 2008).