C-2 selective arylation of indoles with heterogeneous nanopalladium and diaryliodonium salts

A simple and efficient method to prepare synthetically useful 2-arylindoles is presented, using a heterogeneous Pd catalyst and diaryliodonium salts in water under mild conditions. A remarkably low leaching of metal catalyst was observed under the applied conditions. The developed protocol is highly C-2 selective and tolerates structural variations both in the indole and in the diaryliodonium salt. Arylations of both N-H indoles and N-protected indoles with ortho-substituted, electron-rich, electron-deficient, or halogenated diaryliodonium salts were achieved to give the desired products in high to excellent isolated yields within 6 to 15 h at room temperature or 40 °C.