Visible-Light-Enabled Aerobic Denitrative C3-Alkenylation of Indoles with β-Nitrostyrenes

Abstract

Herein, we unveil the first visible-light-mediated alkenylation reaction of indoles. The reaction follows a denitrative radical pathway where β-nitrostyrenes have been utilized as the alkene precursors for the C3-styrenylation of indoles under visible-light irradiation to afford biologically and synthetically important 3-alkenylindoles. High regioselectivity, absence of any photocatalyst, metal, external oxidant, acid or base, and the use of visible light and air as inexpensive clean reagents are the key highlights of the developed method.