摘要

A discovery that inexpensive elemental bromine can act as a potent Lewis acid catalyst is disclosed. Under the catalysis of only 2 mol% of Br-2, indoles reacted rapidly with carbonyl compounds to give bis(indolyl)methanes with extremely high efficiency and wide substrate scope. Moreover, a Br-2-catalyzed aqueous-phase reaction is also presented to further demonstrate the power of this novel catalyst.