A photocatalytic dearomatizative tandem [4+2] cyclization between N-(2-iodoethyl)indoles and a variety of alkenes leads to tri- and tetracyclic benzindolizidines with high diastereoselectivity and yield. The intermolecular annulation reaction is performed under visible-light irradiation and employs [Ir(ppy)₃] or [Ir(dtbbpy)(ppy)₂] PF₆ as photocatalysts, in combination with tertiary amines as electron and hydrogen atom donors.

A visible light-induced photocatalytic dehydrogenation/6π-cyclization/oxidation cascade converts 1-(nitromethyl)-2-aryl-1,2,3,4-tetrahydroisoquinolines into novel 12-nitro-substituted tetracyclic indolo[2,1-a]isoquinoline derivatives. Various photocatalysts promote the reaction in the presence of air and a base, the most efficient being 1-aminoanthraquinone in combination with K₃PO₄. Further, the 12-nitroindoloisoquinoline products can be accessed directly from C1-unfunctionalized 2-aryl-1,2,3,4-tetrahydroisoquinolines by extending the one-pot protocol with a foregoing photocatalytic cross-dehydrogenative coupling reaction, resulting in a quadruple cascade transformation.

Wegen ihrer orthogonalen Reaktivitäten im Grund- und angeregten Zustand sind Chinone interessante Organokatalysatoren für die Entwicklung sequenzieller katalytischer Verfahren. Die Entdeckung einer thermischen Chinon-katalysierten C3-Alkylierung von Indolen mit Benzylaminen wird beschrieben, die sequenziell mit einer neuen, durch sichtbares Licht induzierten Photooxidation/1,2-Umlagerung kombiniert wurde. Das Eintopf-Tandemverfahren setzt Indole zu 3-Benzylindolen um, die darauf zu neuen fluoreszierenden 2,2-disubstituierten Indolin-3-onen transformiert werden.

Quinones exhibit orthogonal ground- and excited-state reactivities and are therefore highly suitable organocatalysts for the development of sequential catalytic processes. Herein, the discovery of an anthraquinone-catalyzed thermal indole-C3-alkylation with benzylamines is described, which can be combined sequentially with a new visible-light-driven catalytic photooxidation/1,2-shift reaction. The one-flask tandem process converts indoles into 3-benzylindole intermediates, which are further transformed into new fluorescent 2,2-disubstituted indoline-3-one derivatives.