Bronsted acidic ionic liquid-catalyzed tandem trimerization of indoles: An efficient approach towards the synthesis of indole 3,3′-trimers under solvent-free conditions

We have observed the role of 1-butane sulfonic acid-3-methylimidazolium tosylate, [BSMIM]OTs, as an organocatalyst for the tandem type trimerization of indoles to synthesize indole 3,3 '-trimers under neat conditions. Using this developed protocol synthesis of indole trimers with various substituted indoles, which are biologically important, has been reported. From the control experiments and literature, a possible mechanism has been proposed via the generation of indolinium cation in the presence of the ionic liquid catalyst. The catalyst has been recycled for several times. The significant advantages of our methodology are clean reaction with very short time, no chromatography for purification, commercially available substrates, neat reaction conditions, and in the absence of metal. Using the protocol, the MDM2-p53 inhibitor has been synthesized in gram scale with high yield.