Chemistry Letters, Vol.38, No.5, 444-445, 2009
Regio- and Enantioselective Allylation of Indole Catalyzed by a Planar-chiral Cyclopentadienyl-Ruthenium Complex
The reaction of cinnamyl chloride with indole in the presence of a ruthenium catalyst possessing a planar-chiral cyclopentadienyl ligand resulted in the substitution at the 3-position of the indole ring to give a branched allylation product with high regio- and enantioselectivities. The stoichiometric reaction clearly revealed that the catalytic reaction proceeded via a pi-cinnamyl intermediate.