Oxidative coupling of benzylamines with indoles to bis‐(indolyl)methanes (BIMs) was achieved using an inexpensive water‐soluble cobalt complex, Co(bpb). The catalyst was found to be quite effective when air was used as the oxidant and water as solvent under mild reaction conditions. Aromatic amines were successfully converted to the corresponding BIMs with yields up to 85 %. We have successfully carried out a 1 gram scale reaction, and few pharmaceutically relevant compounds were also synthesised by this method in good yields. Control experiments have also been carried out to understand the possible reaction mechanism.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.