Polysubstituted Indole Synthesis via Palladium/Norbornene Cooperative Catalysis of Oxime Esters.

Polysubstituted indoles are prevalent in pharmaceuticals, agrochemicals, and organic materials. Presented herein is the fact that polyfunctionalized indoles can be efficiently constructed from easily accessible oxime esters and aryl iodides, involving a palladium/norbornene synergistic synthesis. The reaction is enabled by a unique class of electrophiles in palladium/norbornene cooperative catalysis, which are oxime esters derived from simple ketone. The broad substrate scope and high functional group tolerance could make this method attractive for the synthesis of polysubstituted indoles.