Ethyl 5-methoxyindole-2-carboxylate → (RS)-5-methoxy-2,3-dihydro-1H-indole-2-carboxylic acid methyl ester

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Reaction Conditions

Reaction Steps

5-Methoxyindole-2-carboxylic acid ethyl ester (2 g, 9.13 mmol) and magnesium turnings (0.432 g, 18 mmol) were suspended in dried methanol (30 ml). This mixture was stirred at 5 to 10° C. under nitrogen for 3 hours, then poured into dichloromethane (200 ml), and washed with saturated ammonium chloride solution. The organic layer was separated, and the aqueous layer was extracted with dichloromethane (3×100 ml). The combined organic layers were dried over sodium sulphate and evaporated. A brown solid was obtained. After column chromatography on silica gel using dichloromethane as eluent, a brown solid was obtained.

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