Approaches to the synthesis of 2,3-dihaloanilines. Useful precursors of 4-functionalized-1H-indoles.

2,3-Dihaloanilines have been proved as useful starting materials for synthesizing 4-halo-1H-indoles. Subsequent or in situ functionalization of the prepared haloindoles allows the access to a wide variety of 2,4- or 2,3,4-regioselectively functionalized indoles in good overall yields. As no efficient synthetic routes to 2,3-dihaloanilines have been described in the literature, different approaches to the preparation of these 1,2,3-functionalized aromatic precursors are now presented. The most general one involves a Smiles rearrangement from the corresponding 2,3-dihalophenols and allows the preparation of 2,3-dihaloanilides in a straightforward and synthetically useful manner.