Transformations of 3-formylindoles under the action of acids

Article abstract of DOI:10.1007/BF02324639

Under the influence of acids 3-formylindole forms urorosein (the salt of di(indol-3-yl)methylium) which is unstable in solution and decomposes to give a series of indole derivatives, among which 6-(indol-3-yl)-5H,7H-indolo[2,3-b]carbazole and tri(indol-3-yl)methylium salt predominate. N,N′-Dimethylurorosein in solution also forms a mixture of indole derivatives, from which tri(1-methylindol-3-yl)methylium salt, 5N,11N-dimethylindolo[3,2-b]carbazole and its 6-(1-methylindol-3-yl) derivative were isolated. 1999 KluwerAcademic/Plenum Publishers.