Cu-Catalyzed Oxidative 3-Amination of Indoles via Formation of Indolyl(aryl)iodonium Imides Using o-Substituted (Diacetoxyiodo)arene as a High-Performance Hypervalent Iodine Compound.

An oxidative 3-amination of indole derivatives using hypervalent iodine(III) and bissulfonimides, which proceeds via the formation of indolyl(aryl)iodonium imides, was developed. This reaction was followed by an indole-selective copper-catalyzed oxidative C⁻N coupling reaction to obtain 3-amino indole derivatives as single regioisomers. o-Alkoxy(diacetoxyiodo)arenes showed higher reactivity in the reaction than o-alkyl(diacetoxyiodo)arenes, efficiently promoting the formation of indolyl(aryl)iodonium imides in the first step.