Microwave-Assisted Iodine-Catalyzed 3-Selenocyanation of Indole for the Synthesis of 3-Selenocyanateindole Derivatives

3-Selenocyanateindole derivatives have potential application in drug research due to their good biological activity. Until now, many methods for the synthesis of 3-selenocyanateindoles have been reported. However, drawbacks still exist, such as harsh reaction conditions, low yields and poor functional groups tolerance. A series of 3-selenocyanateindoles have been synthesized via the microwave-assisted 3-selenocyanation of indole derivatives by using 25 mol% iodine as catalyst, affording the corresponding products in good yields. Compared with the previous methods, this protocol has the advantages of rapid reaction, high yields and good atomic economy, providing an efficient route to 3-selenocyanateindole derivatives.