ELECTROCHEMICAL REDUCTION OF BIS(3-INDOLYL)GLYOXALS - A DIRECT SYNTHESIS OF NEW ALPHA-KETOLS OF BIOLOGICAL INTEREST

The electrochemical reduction of two bis(3-indolyl)glyoxals allows the obtention of the corresponding alpha-ketols in high yields whereas ch emical or microbiological methods are unsuccessful. The cyclic voltamm ograms show that self-protonation reactions may occur after one-electr on transfer, when the nitrogen in the indole groups are not substitute d. In the case of N-substituted indoles, a very stable anion radical c an be observed.