Organocatalytic dynamic kinetic resolution of N-arylindole lactams:atroposelective construction of axially chiral amino acids bearing a C–N chiral axis

Organocatalytic dynamic kinetic resolution of configurationally labile cyclic molecules represents one of the most efficient methods for the atroposelective construction of axially chiral molecules bearing a tetra-ortho-substituted chiral axis.Notably,this privileged strategy is limited to constructing a C–C chiral axis.Herein,organocatalytic dynamic kinetic resolution of configurationally labile N-arylindole lactams has been successfully achieved at the first time,allowing for access to a structurally diverse set of axially chiral N-arylindole amino esters with a tetra-ortho-substituted C–N chiral axis in excellent yields and atroposelectivities.In addition to the N-arylindole skeleton,N-aryl thieno[3,2-b]pyrrole,furo[3,2-b]pyrrole,and pyrrolo[2,3-b]pyridine skeletons are also compatible with this transformation.This transition-metal-free facile strategy features a broad substrate scope,mild reaction conditions,easy scale-up and excellent atom economy.Several potentially valuable molecules,such as axially chiral peptides,were efficiently generated from the resulting configurationally stable axially-chiral N-arylindole amino esters,demonstrating the power of this strategy.