Indium tribromide catalyzed highly regioselective ring opening of epoxides and aziridines with pyrrole

Abstract

Pyrrole reacts smoothly with terminal epoxides in the presence of a catalytic amount of InBr₃ under very mild conditions to afford the corresponding C-alkylated pyrroles in high yields. Similarly, activated aziridines also opened by pyrrole under the influence of indium tribromide to afford 2- and 3-alkyl pyrrole derivatives in high yields with high regioselectivity.