A general and one-pot synthesis of 2-alkyl/aryl substituted indoles via a tandem Pd/C mediated coupling/5-endo-dig cyclization of terminal alkynes (including acetylenic carbinols) with o-iodoanilides in water is reported. The reaction is carried out using PPh3 and CuI as co-catalysts and 2-aminoethanol as a base. The reaction appears to tolerate a variety of functional groups present in the alkynes and does not require the use of any organic co-solvent.
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Pal et al. (2004) studied this question.