Hypervalent iodine mediated alkene difunctionalization of vinylphenols: diastereoselective synthesis of substituted indoles and indolizines

Abstract

A hypervalent iodine mediated alkene difunctionalization reaction of vinylphenols has been developed. The chemistry is applicable to a wide range of substitutions on both the alkene and nucleophile substrates, enabling the rapid synthesis of 3-substituted indoles and 2-substituted indolizines in good yields and high diastereoselectivities under metal-free conditions.