Platinum-catalyzed tandem indole annulation/arylation for the synthesis of diindolylmethanes and indolo[3,2-b]carbazoles.

Various diindolylmethanes were prepared from propargylic ethers and substituted indoles via a platinum-catalyzed tandem indole annulation/arylation cascade. The resulting diindolylmethanes could be converted to natural product malassezin by formylation or indolo[3,2-b]carbazoles by cyclization.