Abstract

An efficient, metal-free and chemo-selective Friedel-Crafts allylation of indoles in 2,2,2-trifluoroethanol (TFE) is developed. A possible mechanism has also been discussed to explain the observed competitive pathways in this reaction system.

Keywords: 2,2,2-trifluoroethanol, indole, Friedel-Crafts alkylation, C-3 alkylation, aromatic compounds, benzyl alcohols, Lewis acid, Trifluoroethanol, catalyst, transformation, dimethylindole, regioselectively, alkylation, solvolysis, nucleophilic, indole substrates, chemoselectivity, allyl acetate, hydrogen bond activation, reactivity, solubility, solvent, petroleum ether