Highly substituted 2-aminated indoles can be prepared in moderate to excellent yields by regioselective C2-amination of indoles promoted by iodine. As a key step in a concise synthesis of (±)-folicanthine, its core structure was easily obtained by one step cyclization-dimerization of substituted tryptophan in high yield on a gram scale.

A mild, metal-free, and environmently benign iodine-promoted regioselective C-C and C-N bonds formation of N-protected indole derivatives giving 2,3'-biindoles 2 and 4-(1H-indol-2-yl)morpholines 4 is successfully demonstrated. Various bioactive 2,3'-biindoles and 4-(1H-indol-2-yl)morpholines, bearing electron-rich to moderately electron-poor substituents, can be prepared in moderate to good yields.

Arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi can form mutual symbiotic associations with most terrestrial plants and improve the resistance of host plants against pathogens. However, the bioprotection provided by AM fungi can depend on the host–fungus combinations. In this study, we unraveled the effects of pre-inoculation with AM fungus Rhizophagus irregularis on plant resistance against the hemibiotrophic fungal pathogen Fusarium oxysporum in jasmonate (JA) biosynthesis mutant tomato, suppressor of prosystemin-mediated responses8 (spr8) and the wild type Castlemart (CM). Results showed that R. irregularis colonization in CM plants significantly decreased the disease index, which was not observed in spr8 plants, suggesting that the disease protection of AM fungi was a plant-genotype-specific trait. Inoculation with R. irregularis significantly increased the shoot dry weight of CM plants when infected with F. oxysporum, with increased plant P content and net photosynthetic rate. Induced expression of the JA synthesis genes, including allene oxide cyclase gene (AOC) and lipoxygenase D gene (LOXD), and increased activities of polyphenol oxidase (PPO) and phenylalanine ammonia lyase (PAL) were recorded in mycorrhizal CM plants infected with F. oxysporum, but not in spr8 plants. Thus, mycorrhiza-induced resistance (MIR) to fungal pathogen in tomato was highly relevant to the JA signaling pathway.