An effective and
operationally simple method for the preparation
of 1-(2-(sulfonamido)vinyl)indoles (SAV-indoles) by the Rh(II)-catalyzed
reaction of 2,2-diaryl-2H-azirines with 1-sulfonyl-1,2,3-triazoles
has been developed. This method enables the stereoselective synthesis
of a variety of 1,2,3-trisubstituted indoles having a Z configuration of the (1-aryl-2-(sulfonamido)vinyl) substituent.
The reaction mechanism, supported by DFT calculations, involves the
formation of 1,4-diazahexa-1,3,5-trienes, which rapidly cyclize to
2,2-diaryl-1-sulfonyl-1,2-dihydropyrazines. These compounds can be
isolated at an early stage of the reaction, but under prolonged heating
they isomerize into 7aH-indolium ylides, followed
by a barrierless 1,5-prototropic shift to SAV-indoles. The developed
methodology was also applied to the preparation of 1,3′-biindoles
from 2,2-diaryl-2H-azirines using 3-diazoindolin-2-imines
instead of 1-sulfonyl-1,2,3-triazoles.