Ruthenium(ii)-catalyzed C-2 alkenylation of indole with olefins via a quinazolin-4(3H)-one directing group: a platform for selective fluorescent anion sensors

Abstract

We report a ruthenium(II)-catalyzed C–H alkenylation of 2-(1H-indol-3-yl)quinazolin-4(3H)-one with various alkenes. The reaction proceeds selectively at the C2 position of the indole moiety, facilitated by a cyclic amide as the directing group. Furthermore, the synthesized compounds were evaluated for their photophysical properties, revealing intriguing fluorescence characteristics that highlight their potential as promising fluorescent probes.