Application of 3-Methyl-2-vinylindoles in Catalytic Asymmetric Povarov Reaction: Diastereo- and Enantioselective Synthesis of Indole-Derived Tetrahydroquinolines.

The first application of 3-methyl-2-vinylindoles in catalytic asymmetric Povarov reactions has been established via the three-component reactions of 3-methyl-2-vinylindoles, aldehydes, and anilines in the presence of chiral phosphoric acid, providing easy access to chiral indole-derived tetrahydroquinolines with three contiguous stereogenic centers at high yields (up to 99%) and with excellent diastereo- and enantioselectivities (all >95:5 dr, up to 96% ee). This mode of catalytic asymmetric three-component reaction offers a step-economic and atom-economic strategy for accessing enantioenriched indole-derived tetrahydroquinolines with structural diversity and complexity.