Oxalyl chloride → Indole-3-acetamide

Participants

Reaction Steps

2-Ethyl-4-methoxy-alpha-oxo-1-(phenylmethyl)-1H-indole-3-acetamide. Oxalyl chloride (0.87 mL, 10 mmol) was added to 2.6 g (9.8 mmol) of 2-ethyl-4-methoxy-1-(phenylmethyl)-1H-indole in 25 mL of methylene chloride, the mixture stirred for 3 hours and concentrated at reduced pressure. The residue was redissolved in 25 mL of methylene chloride, anhydrous ammonia bubbled in for 0.25 hours and the mixture concentrated. The residue was stirred with ethyl acetate/water and the insoluble material filtered. The ethyl acetate from the filtrate was washed with brine, dried (MgSO4) and concentrated. The residue was washed with ether and combined with the filtered material above to give 1.19 g (36% yield) of 2-ethyl-4-methoxy-alpha-oxo-1-phenylmethyl)-1H-indole-3-acetamide, mp, 193°-199° C.

Provenance & Evidence