excellent hydrogen atom acceptors, generating α-aminyl radicals with a variety of catalysts
(Co (II)/H2 or Co (III) Cl precatalysts with silane reductants). These radicals can be converted
to internal vinylindoles but eventually add to the oxygen of the cycloalkanone substituents.
These cyclizations eventually furnish a densely functionalized dihydrofuran (a net
cycloisomerization). The internal vinylindoles are slowly converted to the dihydrofurans, but …