A one-pot thiomethylation of pyrrole and indoles

Abstract

C(sp²)H functionalization of pyrrole, indole, indolyl-3-acetic acid (heteroauxin), and 2-amino-3-(indol-3yl)propionic acid (tryptophan) was carried out via a one-pot C-thiomethylation with formaldehyde and mercaptans in pyridine which simultaneously played the role of a catalyst and solvent. The possibility of the synthesis of structurally diverse sulfanyl methylindoles depending on the nature of the reagents was demonstrated.