Palladium mediated total synthesis of o-acetylphenylacetic acids: a general route to indolo[2,3-b]naphthalene-6,11-diones

Here we describe a new, efficient general synthesis of o-acetylphenylacetic acids by Heck palladium-catalyzed arylation of n-butyl vinyl ether with o-bromophenylacetic acids, and its application to the synthesis of indolo[2,3-b]naphthalene-6,11-diones.