A Facile Regiocontrol in the Palladium-Catalyzed Annulation of Fluorine-Containing Internal Alkynes with Variously Substituted 2-Iodoanilines: A New Regioselective Synthesis of 2- or 3-Fluoroalkylated Indole Derivatives

Treatment of various types of fluoroalkylated alkynes with o-iodoaniline in the presence of Pd(PPh(3))(4) in DMF at 80 degrees C for 8 h mainly gave 2-fluoroalkylated indoles in high yields. The use of P(o-Tol)(3) instead of PPh(3) as a ligand led to the preferential formation of 3-fluoroalkylated indoles in high yields. Interestingly, the reaction of trifluoromethylated alkynes bearing a benzylic substituent afforded 2- or 3-trifluoroethylated indole derivatives in good yields.