SYNTHETIC APPROACHES FOR BIS (INDOLYL) METHANES

Indole ring system is the most important heterocycle available in natural compounds. Owing to great structural diversity, the indole ring system has become an important structural requirement in many pharmaceutical agents. Indole has been widely identified as a privileged structure or pharmacophore, with its presence in over 3000 natural isolates which are known to possess broad spectrum of biological activities and pharmaceutical applications. The bis (indolyl) methane derivatives are found to be very active compounds in pharmacy field. They are found in cruciferous plants and are known to promote beneficial oestrogen metabolism and induce apoptosis in human cancer cells. In recent years, a lots of bis (indolyl) methane derivatives have been synthesized and found to possess promising biological activities including anticancer, antimicrobial, antifungal, analgesic, antiinflammatory, anthelmintic, cardiovascular activities. In the present review several synthetic schemes of these compounds are discussed involving non-toxic catalyst and providing high yields.