Photocatalytic Synthesis of Indoles via NHC‐Boryl Radical Cascade Cyclization of 2‐Vinylaryl Isocyanides

A thiol/photoredox dual catalytic protocol has been developed for the synthesis of C2‐borylated indoles from 2‐vinylaryl isocyanides and NHC‐boranes. Under visible‐light irradiation, NHC‐boryl radicals are generated in situ and undergo addition to the isocyanide unit, followed by intramolecular cyclization to deliver the indole framework. The method proceeds under mild conditions, exhibits good functional‐group tolerance, and affords the products with high regioselectivity. Gram‐scale experiments and the synthesis of tri ‐indolyl NHC‐borane further demonstrate the synthetic utility of this protocol.

Authors

Institutions

Publication Details

Journal
European Journal of Organic Chemistry
Published
2026-07-28
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1002/ejoc.70626
Primary Topic
Radical Photochemical Reactions
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
0.00
Controls
|||
ALL TIME
JAN
FEB
MAR
APR
MAY
JUN
JUL
AUG
SEP
OCT
article

Photocatalytic Synthesis of Indoles via NHC‐Boryl Radical Cascade Cyclization of 2‐Vinylaryl Isocyanides

Bao‐Gui Cai, Ze‐Le Chen, Jun Xuan, Haoyu Yu et al.
European Journal of Organic Chemistry
Radical Photochemical Reactions
article

Photocatalytic Synthesis of Indoles via NHC‐Boryl Radical Cascade Cyclization of 2‐Vinylaryl Isocyanides

Bao‐Gui Cai, Ze‐Le Chen, Jun Xuan, Haoyu Yu, S. MA, Jian‐Biao Liu, Ni‐Na Cheng
article en

Abstract

A thiol/photoredox dual catalytic protocol has been developed for the synthesis of C2‐borylated indoles from 2‐vinylaryl isocyanides and NHC‐boranes. Under visible‐light irradiation, NHC‐boryl radicals are generated in situ and undergo addition to the isocyanide unit, followed by intramolecular cyclization to deliver the indole framework. The method proceeds under mild conditions, exhibits good functional‐group tolerance, and affords the products with high regioselectivity. Gram‐scale experiments and the synthesis of tri ‐indolyl NHC‐borane further demonstrate the synthetic utility of this protocol.

European Journal of Organic Chemistry
Ministry of Education of the People's Republic of China (CN), Anhui University (CN)
Openalex Percentile: Top 16%
Radical Photochemical Reactions
AI Navigator

Ask Laika to Summarize, Analyze, and Connect papers live on the map.

Summarize Papers & Methodologies

Extract key findings, datasets, and comparative methods across publications.

Benchmark Rankings & Visual Analytics

Rank top research institutions, authors, funders, topics, and journals by Field-Weighted Citation Impact (FWCI) and paper volume with instant charts.

Connect Distant Disciplines

Bridge topological clusters on the map to find hidden collaborative intersections.

Photocatalytic Synthesis of Indoles via NHC‐Boryl Radical Cascade Cyclization of 2‐Vinylaryl Isocyanides — Bao‐Gui Cai, Ze‐Le Chen, et al. · European Journal of Organic Chemistry (2026) | TGRS Research Map | TGRS