Ethyl 1-(2-cyanoethyl)-3,5-dimethyl-1Hindole-2-carboxylate

The title compound, C16H18N2O2, is an important precursor in the synthesis of 1,2,3,4-tetrahydropyrazinoindoles, which show excellent antihistamine, antihypertensive and central nervous system depressant properties. The carbethoxy group attached to C2 and the planar cyanoethyl group attached to N1 make dihedral angles of 11.0(4) and 75.0(3) °, respectively, with the mean plane of the indole ring. The C - C=N chain is linear with a bond angle of 179.3(4) °