Synthesis of 2-Aminoindole-3-carboxylic Acid Derivatives by the Copper(I) Iodide Catalyzed Reaction of N-(2-Iodophenyl)formamides with Malononitrile or Cyanoacetates

An efficient method for the synthesis of 2-aminoindole-3-carbonitriles and 2-aminoindole-3-carboxylates by the reaction of N-(2-iodophenyl)formamides with malononitrile and cyanoacetates, respectively, in the presence of a catalytic amount of copper(I) iodide using potassium carbonate as a base is reported.