FeCl3-catalyzed oxidative diselenylation of pyrrole-tethered indoles

Abstract

A mild and efficient FeCl₃-catalyzed oxidative diselenylation of pyrrole-tethered indoles has been achieved by using RSeSeR as the source of selenium and m-chloroperoxybenzoic acid (mCPBA) as the oxidant (17–70% yields). In addition, this selenylation reaction system can be expanded to the functionalization of tryptophan derivatives and melatonin at the C-2 position of the indole moiety (55–58% yields).