N-methyl-1H-indole-2-carboxamide → N-Methyl-1H-indole-2-methanamine

Participants

Reaction Steps

A solution of LiAlH4 in THF (1.0 M, 250 mL, 250 mmole) was slowly added via syringe to a solution of N-methyl-1H-indol-2-carboxamide (21.50 g, 12.34 mmole) in anhydrous THF (100 mL). Gas was evolved during the addition of the first 50 mL of LiAlH4 solution. When the addition was complete, the resulting light yellow solution was heated at gentle reflux. After 23 hr, the reaction was cooled in ice and quenched by the sequential dropwise addition of H2O (9.5 mL), 1.0 N NaOH (20 mL), and H2O (28.5 mL). The mixture was stirred for 15 min, then was filtered through celite®, and the filter pad was washed thoroughly with THF. The filtrate was concentrated and the residue was flash chromatographed on silica gel (10% MeOH/CHCl3 containing 0.5% conc. NH4OH). The title compound (10.10 g, 51%) was obtained as a light yellow oil: MS (ES) m/e 161 (M+H)+.

Provenance & Evidence