Copper-catalysed regioselective sulfenylation of indoles with sodium sulfinates

Abstract

A copper-catalysed sulfenylation of indoles with sodium sulfinates that affords 3-sulfenylindoles in good-to-excellent yields in N,N-dimethyl formamide (DMF) is described. In the process, DMF serves not only as a solvent but also as a reductant. This transformation is easy to carry out and hasmild reaction conditions and good functional group tolerance.