The reduction of some alicyclic- and aryl-substituted 3-acyl derivatives of 2-methylindole

The structures of the products formed from the reduction of some 3-acyl derivatives of 2-methylindole were dependent on the nature of the substituent α to the carbonyl group and the reducing agent being used. When the substituent was aryl the only recoverable product had the hydrogenolysed structure; when the substituent was alicyclic the product had either the intermediate hydroxy or fully hydrogenolysed structure.