Publication Details

Bis(indolyl)methanes (BIMs) are significant molecular scaffolds comprising nitrogen heterocycles that exhibit notable biological and pharmacological properties. This work represents an alternative and novel method for the synthesis of BIMs via a Sc(OTf)3-catalyzed tandem C–O and C–C bond-breaking reactions in β-hydroxyketone substrates. Our developed method involves the release of a unique yet unusual ketone leaving group. Anti-bacterial activity of some of the representative BIMs was evaluated against the bacterial strain Escherichia coli (E. Coli), and the results were compared with those of the standard, the broad-spectrum antibiotics ciprofloxacin and tetracycline. Most of the tested BIMs exhibited anti-bacterial activity with quantitative values. Notably, BIM 3l showed the highest anti-bacterial activity among all tested BIMs, with a zone of inhibition (ZI) value of 18.33 ± 1.52 mm, as compared to the standard antibiotics ciprofloxacin (25 ± 0.57) and tetracycline (28 ± 0.57).