Selective Ruthenium‐Catalyzed N‐Alkylation of Indoles by Using Alcohols

Alcohols for alkylation! The first homogeneous-catalyzed N-alkylations of indoles with aliphatic alcohols proceed under transfer hydrogenation conditions. By the use of the Shvo catalyst and p-toluenesulfonic acid (PTSA) this atom-efficient reaction occurs highly selectively with water formed as the only byproduct (see scheme).