Quantum chemical study of the transformation of 2-(N-alkylamino)-3-(indol-1-yl)-and 2-(N-alkylamino)-3-(indol-3-yl)maleimides by protic acids: Tandem hydride transfer/cyclization mechanism

Abstract

The geometric parameters, the charge distribution, and the energetics of N-methyl-2-(N-ethylanilino)-3-(indol-1-yl)-and N-methyl-2-(N-ethylanilino)-3-(indol-3-yl)maleimides and their conjugated acids were studied by density functional theory calculations at the B3LYP/6-31G(d) level. The mechanism of the tandem hydride transfer/cyclization sequence, which occurs after protonation of N-methyl-2-(N-ethylanilino)-3-(indol-1-yl)-and N-methyl-2-(N-ethylanilino)-3-(indol-3-yl)maleimides, was analyzed. The investigation of the potential energy surface for the tandem hydride transfer/cyclization of the iminium cation that formed upon protonation revealed that the hydride transfer followed by intramolecular cyclization at position 7 of the indole fragment in N-methyl-2-(N-ethylanilino)-3-(indol-1-yl)maleimide is the preferable process, unlike alternative intramolecular cyclization involving the cationic center at the C(2) atom of the indole fragment and the benzene ring of the N-ethylaniline fragment of the indoleninium cation in N-methyl-2-(N-ethylanilino)-3-(indol-3-yl)maleimide. A study of the key intermediates of the assumed reaction mechanism demonstrated that these intermediates are actually stationary points on the potential energy surface (minima and transition states).