Iron(II) chloride-1,1′-binaphthyl-2,2′-diamine (FeCl <inf>2</inf>-BINAM) complex catalyzed domino synthesis of bisindolylmethanes from indoles and primary alcohols

Biologically important bisindolylmethanes are synthesized in a domino fashion by using an iron(II) chloride-(±)-1,1′-binaphthyl-2, 2′-diamine [FeCl2-(±)-BINAM] complex as the catalyst. This method proceeds via oxidation of a primary alcohol into the corresponding aldehyde followed by nucleophilic addition of an indole in the presence of the catalyst. A reaction intermediate is synthesized separately and converted into the bisindolylmethane product under the same reaction conditions as support for the proposed mechanism. © Georg Thieme Verlag Stuttgart · New York.