A radical based addition–elimination route for the preparation of indoles

Abstract

Indoles, including tricyclic derivatives, are produced by cyclisations of aryl radicals onto vinyl halides followed by elimination of halide radical and tautomerism of the resulting product; the aryl radicals are produced using “clean methodology” either by reaction of iodide ions with arenediazonium salts or by reaction of phosphorus-centred radicals with aryl iodides.