mmol) in water (250 mL) and DMF (125 mL).16 After 3 h, the
crude reaction mixture was filtered, and the solids were washed
with toluene (250 mL). The filtrate was transferred to a
separatory funnel, and the layers were separated. The organic
layer was washed with water (3 × 250 mL) and concentrated to
an oil. Hexanes (30 mL) were added, and the desired product
was crystallized. The solid was filtered to afford 2-nitro-4-
chlorobenzaldehyde (6) (22.4 g, 99% yield), which was identical
(120 mL) were added K2CO3 (9.45 g, 68.4 mmol) and 2′-bromo-
4-chloroacetophenone (14) (8.78 g, 37.6 mmol). The reaction was
stirred at room temperature for 15 min. NaOH (1 N, 130 mL)
was added, and the reaction mixture was heated to 100 °C for 8
h. The reaction mixture was cooled to room temperature, poured
into a separatory funnel, and washed with MTBE (2 × 200 mL).
The aqueous layer was acidified to pH 1 with 6 N HCl and was
extracted with EtOAc (150 mL). The solvent was removed under
reduced pressure, and to the resulting oil were added iPrOH (24
mL) and water (48 mL). A solid precipitated, and the slurry was
stirred 12 h. The solid was filtered, washed with water, and dried
to provide [6-chloro-2-(4-chlorobenzoyl)-1H-indol-3-yl]acetic acid
(1) (9.73 g, 82%): mp 181-183 °C; 1H NMR (400 MHz, DMSO-
d6) δ 3.79 (s, 2H), 7.08 (dd, 1H, J ) 8.5, 1.9), 7.42 (d, 1H, J )
1.9), 7.60 (d, 2H, J ) 8.5), 7.62-7.73 (m, 3H), 11.74 (bs, 1H),
12.22 (bs, 1H); 13C NMR (75 MHz, DMSO-d6) δ 31.74, 113.25,
118.00, 121.93, 123.96, 127.69, 130.10, 131.30, 132.02, 133.59,
138.02, 138.37, 138.58, 173.20, 188.29; IR 3314, 1710, 1700,
1
to the reported H NMR spectrum.17
3-(4-Chloro-2-nitrophenyl)acrylic Acid Ethyl Ester (11).
To 2-chloro-5-bromonitrobenzene (10) (30.0 g, 127 mmol), Pd-
(OAc)2 (285 mg, 1.27 mmol), and PPh3 (666 mg, 2.54 mmol) in
DMF (360 mL) were added Et3N (24.7 mL, 178 mmol) and ethyl
acrylate (138 mL, 1.27 mol). The reaction was stirred at 87 °C
for 10 h, cooled to room temperature, and poured into a
separatory funnel containing toluene (300 mL). The mixture was
washed with 1 N HCl (300 mL) and water (2 × 200 mL). The
organic extracts were concentrated to an oil that was crystallized
in hexanes (60 mL). The solid was filtered to afford 3-(4-chloro-
2-nitrophenyl)acrylic acid ethyl ester (11) (30.8 g, 95%): mp )
1618, 1522, 1323, 1227, 1093, 941 cm-1. Anal. Calcd for C17H11
-
Cl2NO3: C, 58.64; H, 3.18; N, 4.02. Found: C,58.58; H, 3.22; N,
3.93.
1
64-65 °C; H NMR (300 MHz) δ 1.38 (t, 3H, J ) 7.2), 4.32 (q,
2H, J ) 7.2), 6.39 (d, 1H, J ) 15.9), 7.60-7.67 (m, 2H), 8.04-
8.09 (m, 2H); 13C NMR (100 MHz) δ 14.14, 60.96, 123.86, 125.01,
128.94, 130.06, 133.51, 136.08, 138.43, 165.41; IR 1715, 1523,
1291, 1046 cm-1. Anal. Calcd for C11H10ClNO4: C, 51.68; H, 3.94;
N, 5.48. Found: C, 51.68; H, 4.17; N, 5.25.
3-[4-Chloro-2-(N-chlorophenyl)-2-oxoethyl]-N-(4-tolu-
enesulfonylamino)]acrylic Acid Ethyl Ester (16). To a
solution of 3-[4-chloro-2-(4-toluenesulfonylamino)phenyl]acrylic
acid ethyl ester (13) (3.00 g, 7.90 mmol) in DMAC (15.0 mL)
were added K2CO3 (2.18 g, 15.8 mmol) and 2′-bromo-4-chloro-
acetophenone (14) (2.03 g, 8.69 mmol). The reaction was stirred
for 30 min, poured into 1 N HCl (30 mL), and extracted with
MTBE (2 × 30 mL). The organic extracts were dried over MgSO4,
filtered, concentrated to a low volume. Hexanes was added and
a solid precipitated. The precipitate was filtered to provide 3-[4-
chloro-2-N-(4-chlorophenyl)-2-oxoethyl]-N-(4-toluenesulfonylami-
no)]acrylic acid ethyl ester (16) (3.19 g, 76%): mp ) 162-165
°C; 1H NMR (300 MHz) δ 1.38 (t, 3H, J ) 7.2), 2.47 (s, 3H), 4.28
(q, 2H, J ) 7.2), 5.00 (bs, 2H), 6.23 (d, 1H, J ) 16.0), 7.29-7.36
(m, 4H), 7.47 (d, 2H, J ) 8.7), 7.54 (d, 1H, J ) 8.4), 7.59 (d, 2H,
J ) 8.3), 7.74 (d, 1H, J ) 16.0), 7.88 (d, 2H, J ) 8.7); 13C NMR
(75 MHz) δ 14.33, 21.62, 57.72, 60.66, 112.49, 120.69, 128.07,
129.21, 129.58, 129.70, 131.22, 132.80, 133.83, 134.80, 135.84,
138.55, 139.28, 140.38, 144.46, 166.02, 191.70; IR 1720, 1698,
3-(4-Chloro-2-aminophenyl)acrylic Acid Ethyl Ester (12).
To 3-(4-chloro-2-nitrophenyl)acrylic acid ethyl ester (11) (10.8
g, 42.2 mmol) in EtOH (151 mL) and H2O (43 mL) were added
iron powder (325 mesh) (7.10 g, 127 mmol) and NH4Cl (1.35 g,
25.2 mmol). The reaction was stirred at 85 °C for 1 h, cooled to
room temperature, and filtered through Celite. The filter cake
was washed with toluene (200 mL), and the filtrate was
concentrated to a low volume (∼50 mL), diluted with toluene
(150 mL), and washed with H2O (2 × 100 mL). The organic
extracts were dried over MgSO4, filtered, and concentrated to a
solid that was triturated with hexanes (25 mL). The solid was
filtered to afford 3-(4-chloro-2-aminophenyl)acrylic acid ethyl
ester (12) (8.71 g, 91%): mp ) 69-71 °C; 1H NMR (300 MHz) δ
1.36 (t, 3H, J ) 7.2), 4.08 (bs, 2H), 4.29 (q, 2H, J ) 7.2), 6.35 (d,
1H, J ) 15.7), 6.72-6.77 (m, 2H), 7.29-7.36 (m, 1H), 7.75 (d,
1H, J ) 15.7); 13C NMR (75 MHz) δ 14.33, 60.59, 116.18, 118.30,
118.53, 119.09, 129.21, 136.77, 138.85, 146.37, 167.08. IR 3389,
3347, 3240, 2987, 1698, 1627, 1319, 1185, 796 cm-1. Anal. Calcd
for C11H12ClNO2: C, 58.54; H, 5.36; N, 6.21. Found: C, 58.63;
H, 5.41; N, 6.21.
3-[4-Chloro-2-(4-toluenesulfonylamino)phenyl]acrylic
Acid Ethyl Ester (13). To 3-(2-amino-4-chlorophenyl)acrylic
acid ethyl ester (12) (18.0 g, 79.8 mmol) in CH2Cl2 (144 mL) were
added pyridine (9.04 mL, 112 mmol) and p-TsCl (16.0 g, 83.9
mmol). The reaction was stirred at room temperature for 18 h
and poured into 1 N HCl (150 mL). The layers were separated,
and the organic layer was dried over MgSO4, filtered, and
concentrated. Hexanes was added to the resulting solid and
filtered to afford 3-[4-chloro-2-(4-toluenesulfonylamino)phenyl]-
acrylic acid ethyl ester (13) (28.3 g, 93%): mp ) 124-127 °C;
1H NMR (300 MHz) δ 1.35 (t, 3H, J ) 7.2), 2.40 (s, 3H), 4.27 (q,
2H, J ) 7.2), 6.12 (dd, 1H, J ) 15.9, 0.9), 7.20-7.39 (m, 4H),
7.39 (d, 1H, J ) 8.6), 7.48-7.53 (m, 2H), 7.62 (d, 2H, J ) 8.3);
13C NMR (75 MHz) δ 15.50, 22.79, 62.24, 122.48, 127.98, 128.49,
129.34, 129.50, 131.05, 136.82, 137.00, 137.73, 138.93, 145.55,
167.59; IR 3214, 1694, 1631, 1318, 1167 cm-1. Anal. Calcd for
1590, 1338, 1313, 1179, 1161, 1089 cm-1. Anal. Calcd for C26H23
-
Cl2NO5S: C, 58.65; H, 4.35; N, 2.63. Found: C, 58.74; H, 4.56;
N, 2.72.
cis- and trans-[6-Chloro-2-(4-chlorobenzoyl)-1-(4-tolu-
enesulfonyl)-2,3-dihydro-1H-indol-3-yl]acetic Acid Ethyl
Ester (15). To 3-[4-chloro-2-(N-chlorophenyl)-2-oxoethyl]-N-(4-
toluenesulfonylamino)]acrylic acid ethyl ester (16) (1.00 g, 1.88
mmol) in DMAC (5.0 mL) was added K2CO3 (0.520 g, 3.76 mmol).
The reaction mixture was stirred for 4 h, poured in 1 N HCl (30
mL) and extracted with MTBE (2 × 30 mL). The organic extracts
were dried with MgSO4, filtered, and concentrated. The resulting
solid was purified by chromatography on silica gel (EtOAc/
hexanes 20/80) to provide [6-chloro-2-(4-chlorobenzoyl)-1-(4-
toluenesulfonyl)-2,3-dihydro-1H-indol-3-yl]acetic acid ethyl ester
(15) as a 1:9 mixture of cis and trans isomers (0.488 g, 49%).
Some of the 1H NMR (300 MHz) significant signals are: δ 1.09
(t, J ) 7.2), 1.19 (t, J ) 7.2), 2.44 (s), 5.40 (d, J ) 4.0), 5.99 (d,
J ) 9.7), 6.92 (dd, J ) 8.1, 1.1), 7.04 (dd, J ) 8.1, 1.9), 7.52 (d,
J ) 8.4), 7.57 (d, J ) 1.9), 7.73 (d, J ) 8.3), 7.99 (d, J ) 8.6).
LC-MS analysis was performed on the mixture of diastereoi-
somers and indicated to products with identical mass of 531 (M
+ H+).
[6-Chloro-2-(4-chlorobenzoyl)-1H-indol-3-yl]acetic Acid
Ethyl Ester (17). To a solution of 3-[4-chloro-2-(4-toluenesulfo-
nylamino)phenyl]acrylic acid ethyl ester (13) (3.00 g, 7.90 mmol)
in DMAC (15.0 mL) were added K2CO3 (2.18 g, 15.8 mmol) and
2′-bromo-4-chloroacetophenone (14) (2.03 g, 8.69 mmol). The
reaction was stirred for 30 min, and DBU (3.54 mL, 23.7 mmol)
was added. The reaction mixture was stirred 1 h, poured into 1
N HCl (30 mL), and extracted with MTBE (2 × 30 mL). The
organic extracts were dried with MgSO4, filtered, and concen-
trated to provide a solid that was stirred in a mixture of MTBE
and hexanes to afford [6-chloro-2-(4-chlorobenzoyl)-1H-indol-3-
yl]acetic acid ethyl ester (17) (2.42 g, 81%): mp ) 186-188 °C;
C
18H18ClNO4S: C, 56.91; H, 4.78; N, 3.69. Found: C, 57.10; H,
5.08; N, 3.70.
[6-Chloro-2-(4-chlorobenzoyl)-1H-indol-3-yl]acetic Acid
(1). To a solution of 3-[4-chloro-2-(4-toluenesulfonylamino)-
phenyl]acrylic acid ethyl ester (13) (13.0 g, 34.2 mmol) in DMAC
(16) The quench of this reaction is exothermic but can be controlled.
The internal temperature did not rise above 26 °C when it was
performed in a flask placed in a 20 °C bath.
(17) Ahmad, A.; Dundar, L. J.; Green, I. G.; Harvey, I. W.; Shepherd,
T.; Smith, D. M.; Wong, R. K. C. J. Chem. Soc., Perkin Trans. 1 1994,
19, 2751-2758.
4106 J. Org. Chem., Vol. 68, No. 10, 2003