Scandium triflate-catalyzed nucleophilic additions to indolylmethyl Meldrum's acid derivatives via a gramine-type fragmentation: synthesis of substituted indolemethanes.

Treatment of indolylmethyl Meldrum's acids with catalytic scandium triflate and a variety of nucleophiles results in the nucleophilic displacement of the Meldrum's acid moiety via a gramine-type fragmentation. The reaction is useful for the generation of heterocyclic compounds of significant molecular complexity.