Iodine → Methyl 2-((4,6-difluoro-1H-indol-3-yl)thio)acetate

Participants

Reaction Steps

To a solution of 4,6-difluoro-indole (1.00 g, 6.53 mmol) and methyl thioglycolate (584 μL, 6.53 mmol) in methanol:water (25 mL:7.0 mL) was added iodine (1.65 g, 6.53 mmol) and potassium iodide (1.09 g, 6.53 mmol). The reaction mixture was stirred at ambient temperature for 60 hours. Methanol was removed in vacuo and the aqueous layer diluted with a saturated solution of sodium bicarbonate and extracted with ethyl acetate. The organic layer was dried over magnesium sulfate, evaporated in vacuo and the resulting residue was purified on a silica gel column (0-100% ethyl acetate:hexanes over 19 min) to afford the desired product (253 mg, 19% yield). LCMS>98% at 254 nm, RT=1.33 min, m/z=258 (M+1).

Provenance & Evidence