Asymmetric Friedel-Crafts reaction of 4,7-dihydroindoles with nitroolefins by chiral Brønsted acids under low catalyst loading.

Slowly does it! By adding the substrate by a syringe pump, a highly efficient Friedel-Crafts reaction of 4,7-dihydroindoles with nitroolefins was realized with 0.5 mol % of a chiral phosphoric acid. The Friedel-Crafts alkylation, together with a subsequent oxidation of the product, led to 2-substituted indoles in excellent enantiomeric excesses, which can be easily transformed to enantioenriched tetrahydro-gamma-carbolines.