Aerobic C–C Bond Cleavage of Indoles by Visible-Light Photoredox Catalysis with Ru(bpy)32+

Article abstract of DOI:10.1002/ejoc.201701245

Photoredox catalysis with Ru(bpy)₃²⁺ (2,2′-bipyridine) has been used to enable the activation of oxygen in the aerobic C–C cleavage/oxygenation reaction of indoles. A number of indole substrates that contain various functional groups were successfully employed in the reaction to give a wide range of ortho-aminobenzaldehyde derivatives. These products can then be used as versatile building blocks for further synthetic modifications. Mechanistic studies suggest that the reaction proceeds through a radical pathway.