C. C. Silveira et al. / Tetrahedron Letters 54 (2013) 4926–4929
4927
R3
Table 2
R3
O
S
Ce(III)-mediated synthesis of bis(indol-3-yl)sulfides 4a
R1
S
R3
R1
O
CeCl3.7H2O
R1
R1
R1
N
OO
S
2
N
R2
S
S
O
R2
O
S
CeCl3.7H2O
DMA, MW
160 °C, 20 min
1
3
N
O
O
R1
R1
R1
R1
R2
S
S
N
N
S
1a-d
O
O
R2
R2
O
O
[O]
R1= H, Br, 4-Me-C6H4
R2= H, Me
S
S
2a
4a-d
N
N
N
N
R2
R2
R2
R2
5
Entry
R1
R2
Product
Yieldb (%)
4
1
2
3
4
H
H
Br
H
Me
H
4a
4b
4c
4d
89
86
78
70
Scheme 1. Synthesis of 3-substituted indole derivatives (3–5).
4-Me–C6H4
H
In order to explore the scope and limitations of the method, the
protocol was extended to other examples, under the optimized
conditions.10 The corresponding products were obtained in good
to excellent yields from different indoles (Table 1). The reaction
was also studied with the benzenesulfonothioate 2b (R3 = H), with
comparable success, albeit in slightly lower yields.
a
The reactions were carried out with the indoles (1, 2.0 mmol), p-toluene sul-
fonothioate (2a, 1.0 mmol) and CeCl3ꢀ7H2O (2.0 mmol) in DMA (4.0 mL), under
microwave irradiation (160 °C, 100 W) for 20 min.
Isolated yield. All products were characterized by GC–MS, 1H and 13C NMR, and
b
elemental analysis.
Taking into account our observation that higher temperatures
led to the formation of bis(indol-3-yl)sulfides (4) and in view of
the importance of these compounds in general organic synthesis
as well as in materials science and in the pharmaceutical indus-
try,12 we decided to study further the above reaction.
When the reaction was carried out in DMA under microwave
irradiation (160 °C), using Ce(III) as the promoter (1.0 mmol), in-
dole (2.0 mmol) and 2a (1.0 mmol), 53% of bis(indol-3-yl)sulfide
(4a)12e was obtained after 20 min, along with minor amounts of
the monosubstituted product 3a. However, when 2.0 equiv of
CeCl3ꢀ7H2O were employed, 4a was accessed in 89% yield (Table 2,
entry 1). Bis(indol-3-yl)sulfides 4b–d were isolated in good yields
under the same conditions (Table 2), demonstrating that the trans-
formation is general.13
Table 3
Synthesis of bis(indol-3-yl)sulfones 5a
R1
R1
R1
R1
Oxone, H2O/acetone
rt, 4 h
O
O
S
S
N
N
N
N
R1= H, Br, 4-Me-C6H4
R2= H, Me
R2
R2
R2
R2
4a-d
5a-d
Entry
R1
R2
Product
Yieldb (%)
1
2
3
4
H
H
Br
H
Me
H
5a
5b
5c
5d
90
88
85
86
4-Me–C6H4
H
a
In view of the precedent of antioxidant activity among sulfone-
The reactions were carried out with bis(indol-3-yl)sulfides (4, 1.0 mmol) and
linked bis heterocycles,14 the bis(indol-3-yl)sulfides
4 were
oxone (1.0 mmol), in 1:1 (v/v) H2O/acetone (5 mL), at room temperature for 4 h.
b
Isolated yield. All products were characterized by GC–MS, 1H and 13C NMR, and
transformed into the corresponding sulfone derivatives 5.12e The
oxidation reaction was easily performed by treatment of 4a–d with
oxone in a 1:1 (v/v) H2O/acetone medium, which smoothly
provided good yields of 5a–d (Table 3).15
elemental analysis.
DPPH has an unpaired electron which yields a strong absorption
maximum at 517 nm. It is now widely accepted that its reaction
with compounds like phenols proceeds through two different
mechanisms, including the direct hydrogen atom transfer (HAT)
and the sequential proton loss electron transfer.16 Thus, the un-
paired electron becomes paired in the presence of a free radical
scavenging antioxidant or hydrogen donor, decreasing the
absorption.16b
On the other hand, it was proposed that the reaction of indoles
with ABTS involves a single electron transfer process.16c
In the DPPH test,17 compounds 3a and 4a presented radical
scavenging at concentrations as low as 50 and 10
(Table 4). The IC50 values (sample concentration required to inhibit
50% of the radicals) of 185.0 39.7 (3a) and 22.5 10.2 M (4a)
In order to investigate the free radical scavenging ability of 3a
and 4a, the DPPH [di(phenyl)-(2,4,6-trinitrophenyl)imino azani-
um] and ABTS (2,20-azino-bis(3-ethyl benzothiazoline-6-sulfonic
acid) assays were used. Both are synthetic free radicals; however,
they sense different antioxidant mechanisms.
Table 1
Synthesis of C-3 monosubstituted indoles 3
R3
R3
O
S
R1
R3
R1
S
lM, respectively
O
CeCl3.7H2O
DMF, 80°C
20 min
N
O
O
N
R2
R2
S
S
l
S
3a-h
1a-d
O
O
and the maximum inhibition (Imax) results (76.5 2.8% for 3a and
89.9 2.5% for 4a) revealed that 4a is a more effective and more
potent DPPH radical scavenger.
2a-b
R3= H, CH3
R1= H, Br, 4-Me-C6H4
R2= H, Me
In the ABTS assay performed, as disclosed by Re et al.18 the test
Entry
R1
R2
R3
Product
Yielda (%)
compounds were active at 5
l
M levels (Table 4). When the IC50
M) and Imax results (3a:
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
H
H
Br
H
Me
H
H
H
Me
H
H
Me
Me
Me
Me
H
H
H
H
3a
3b
3c
3d
3e
3f
98
95
87
90
92
90
86
86
(3a: 27.0 24.2 M; 4a: 3.6 0.5
l
l
99.7 0.5%; 4a: 99.9 0.005%) were compared, it was also con-
cluded that 4a is a more effective and more potent ABTS radical
scavenger.
On the other hand, lipid peroxidation involves a free radical
chain reaction. Radical scavengers may directly react with peroxide
radicals, quench their activity and terminate the peroxidation
chain reactions. In the linoleic acid peroxidation inhibition induced
4-Me–C6H4
H
H
Br
3g
3h
4-Me–C6H4
Isolated yield. All products were characterized by GC–MS, 1H and 13C NMR, and
a
elemental analysis.11