Acid-catalysed isomerization of indol-3-yl sulphides to indol-2-yl sulphides: unexpected intermolecular nature of the rearrangement
Abstract
The rearrangement of indol-3-yl sulphides (1) to indol-2-yl sulphides (4), catalysed by proton acids, unexpectedly proceeds by an intermolecualr mechanism involving initial disproportionation to an indole-2,3-diyl bis-sulphide (2) and an indole (3), followed by a reaction between (2) and (3) to yield the rearranged product (4).