Cycloisomerization of 2-alkynylanilines to indoles catalyzed by carbon-supported gold nanoparticles and subsequent homocoupling to 3,3′-biindoles

Abstract

Elevated by the support: 2-Alkynyl aniline cycloisomerization to indole is catalyzed by cationic Au NPs on a carbon support. Electroneutral and rich 2-aryl indoles are further converted into 3,3′-biindoles by oxidative homocoupling that is readily catalyzed by the Au NPs on carbon, and exclusively but also somewhat sluggishly by the carbon support