Pd(II)/Lewis Acid Catalyzed Intramolecular Annulation of Indolecarboxamides with Dioxygen through Dual C–H Activation

Transition-metal ion catalyzed intramolecular dual C–H activation to construct polycyclic heteroarene skeletons is merited for its step and atom-economic advantages in organic synthesis. However, in most cases, stoichiometric oxidants, elevated temperature, and other harsh conditions were commonly faced for this reaction, which apparently block the synthetic applications. Herein, we report a Pd(II)/LA (LA: Lewis acid) catalyzed intramolecular dual C–H activation to construct indoloquinolinone derivatives under mild conditions with dioxygen as the sole oxidant. It was found that adding LA such as Sc3+ to Pd(OAc)2 sharply improved its catalytic efficiency, whereas Pd(OAc)2 alone was very sluggish. The activity improvement was attributed to the linkage of the Sc3+ cation to the Pd(II) species through a diacetate bridge that significantly enhanced the electrophilic properties of Pd(II) for dual C–H activation.