One-pot approach to 1,2-disubstituted indoles via Cu(II)-catalyzed coupling/cyclization under aerobic conditions and its application for the synthesis of polycyclic indoles.

A straightforward assembly of 1,2-disubstituted indoles has been developed through a Cu(II)-catalyzed domino coupling/cyclization process. Under aerobic conditions, a wide range of 1,2-disubstituted indole derivatives were efficiently and facilely synthesized from 2-alkynylanilines and boronic acids. 2-(2-Bromoaryl)-1-aryl-1H-indoles, which were selectively generated in one pot under the Cu catalysis, afforded the indolo[1,2-f]phenanthridines via Pd-catalyzed intramolecular direct C(sp(2))-H arylation. The one-pot tandem approaches to the polycyclic indole derivatives were also successfully achieved.