Absolute configuration assignment of 3-indolylacetate esters

Herein we describe a straightforward method for the determination of the absolute configuration of 3-indolyl(bromo)acetate 7, 3-indolyl(alkoxy)acetates 8a?f and 3-indolyl(amino)acetate 8g, based on 1H NMR spectral analysis. The conformational preferences for two diastereomeric esters were calculated by DFT, which matched very well with the experimental results. X-ray diffraction analysis allowed us to validate the methodology, and independent absolute configuration evidence was obtained by vibrational circular dichroism.