Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

Formation Of Highly Functionalized Indole Through Carbon-Carbon Bond Cleavage, Ryan A. S. Pike

Chemistry and Chemical Biology ETDs

Indoles are one of the most abundant heterocycles found in nature and have a wide range of functions. There are a wide variety of indole synthesis methods known both in synthetic chemistry and through biosynthesis. Many of the known indole synthesis routes use a benzene derivative or cyclized ring structure derivative as a starting material. Here, we describe a novel synthetic method utilizing 1, 3-diketones and fumaronitrile with a catalytic amount of base to form a highly functionalized indole as our product. We have isolated and characterized 12 functionalized indoles.