Enantioselective Friedel–Crafts Alkylation of Indoles with β,γ-Unsaturated α-Ketoesters Catalyzed by New Copper(I) Catalysts

New Cu(I) catalysts are effective in enantioselective Friedel-Crafts alkylation of a variety of indoles with different β,γ-unsaturated α-ketoesters. A control study shows that such a catalyst system is less sensitive to air, and the reactions can be carried out without special cares such as glovebox operation or moisture/oxygen-free conditions. Preliminary computation results suggest that there exists π-π stacking between the substrate and the catalyst, and such an interaction seems to play a role in stabilizing the reaction intermediate and enhancing the stereoselectivity of the reactions. The desired products can be obtained in up to 98% yield at 99% enantiomeric excess. The same high enantioselectivity can be observed when the reaction is carried in a gram scale, indicating a good scalability of the catalyst system in enantioselective Friedel-Crafts alkylation of different indoles with β,γ-unsaturated α-ketoesters.