Boron tribromide → Methyl 4-hydroxy-1H-indole-2-carboxylate

Participants

Reaction Conditions

Reaction Steps

Boron tribromide (73.1 ml, 1.0 M solution in DCM) was added dropwise to a solution of methyl 4-methoxyindole-2-carboxylate (5 g) in DCM (200 ml) cooled to −78° C. under argon. The reaction was allowed to warm to room temperature then partitioned between dichloromethane and saturated aqueous sodium hydrogen carbonate solution. Combined organic extracts were dried (MgSO4) and concentrated in vacuo and the residue purified by column chromatography using iso-hexane-50% ethyl acetate as eluent to give the end product as a yellow solid (2.98 g, 64%); NMR d (CD3SOCD3) 3.82 (s, 3H), 6.36 (d, 1H), 6.85 (d, 1H), 7.02 (t, 1H), 7.17 (d, 1H), 9.66 (s, 1H), 11.72 (bs, 1H); M/z (+) 192 (MH+).

Provenance & Evidence