Hypoiodite-Catalyzed Chemoselective Tandem Oxidation of Homotryptamines to Peroxy- and Epoxytetrahydropyridoindolenines.

We developed the hypoiodite-catalyzed tandem dearomative peroxycyclization of homotryptamine derivatives to peroxytetrahydropyridoindolenines under mild conditions. During the course of a mechanistic study, we found that a tandem oxidative cyclization/epoxidation as an unexpected reaction proceeded in the presence of TEMPO as an additive. Intramolecular oxidative aminocyclization of homotryptamines at the C-2 position would give tetrahydropyridoindole, a common intermediate for both reactions. Control experiments suggested that while oxidative coupling with TBHP at the C-3 position might afford peroxyindolenines, a preferential electrophilic addition of TEMPO+, which might be generated in situ by the hypoiodite-catalyzed oxidation of TEMPO, at C-3 position followed by elimination and epoxidation might give epoxyindolenines. This serendipitous finding prompted us to develop a chemoselective divergent synthesis of peroxy- and epoxyindolenines by simple modification of the reaction conditions.