Oxygenation of 2,3-dihydroindoles

Isatogens (3-oxo-3H-indole 1-oxides) possess interesting biological properties and development of a general method to construct these derivatives has now been developed. Indolines (2,3-dihydroindoles) and isatogens have been prepared in an efficient route starting from indoles substituted in position 2. Reduction of the 2-substituted indoles was performed with tin and hydrochloric acid to give racemic indolines, which were converted to isatogens by 3-chloroperoxybenzoic acid (m-CPBA).