Copper-catalyzed tandem reaction between imines and alcohols leading to indoles

A copper-catalyzed tandem reaction between 2-alkynyl-N-arylideneanilines and alcohols is found to produce N-(alkoxybenzyl)indoles in good to high yields. A wide variety of substituted N-(alkoxybenzyl)indole derivatives can be synthesized by utilizing this protocol, since the derived indoles are essentially formed by the four-component assemblies of aldehydes, 2-iodoanilines, terminal alkynes, and alcohols.