... Volume: Page: ... We first examined a synthetic route starting from a reaction of gramine methiodide (2) with 3-(N-benzylindolyl)acetonitrile (3) via 3-methyleneindolenine (2') 21,22 (Scheme 1). This coupling proceeded ... 4, Pd(OAc) 2 (5), K 2 S 2 O 8 (900), 1:0.1, ...