platinum anode in acetonitrile containing NaClO4 has been studied. In any case no polymeric deposit on the working electrode was obtained. The identification of the obtained soluble products is described and the mechanisms of formation are discussed. Analogously to the case of unsubstituted indole, electrooxidized 1–3 react through positions 2 and 3. The non polymerization of 1 is explained with the
Oxidativecleavage of 3-methylindole using a catalytic amount of copper(II) salts with added pyridine under an oxygenatmosphere was studied. Smooth cleavage of 3-methylindole took place to give 2-formamidoacetophenone in 73–80% yield, whereas exclusive formation of a hydrate compound derived from 3,3′-dimethyl-3,3′-bi-3H-indole resulted under anaerobic conditions. Clean oxidativecleavage of N-acetyltryptamine