On the Mechanism of Cross-Dehydrogenative Couplings between N-aryl Glycinates and Indoles: A Computational Study
Paula Andrade-Sampedro1,2, Arkaitz Correa1, Jon M Matxain3,2
1Department of Organic Chemistry I, Joxe Mari Korta R&D Center, University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), Avda. Tolosa 72, 20018 Donostia-San Sebastián, Spain.
Abstract:
Despite the widespread use of cross-dehydrogenative couplings in modern organic synthesis, mechanistic studies are still rare in the literature and those applied to α-amino carbonyl compounds remain virtually unexplored. Herein, the mechanism of Co-catalyzed cross-dehydrogenative couplings of N-aryl glycinates with indoles is described. Density functional theory studies supported the formation of an imine-type intermediate as the more plausible transient electrophilic species. Likewise, key information regarding the role of the N-aryl group and free NH motif within the reaction outcome has been gained, which may set the stage for further developments in this field of expertise.
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