Synthesis
7-Hydroxyindole (300 mg) was dissolved in dimethylformamide (2.0 ml). Potassium carbonate (622.6 mg) and benzyl bromide (295 μl) were added to the solution at room temperature, and the mixture was stirred overnight at room temperature. The reaction mixture was extracted with distilled water and ethyl acetate. The organic layer was washed twice with distilled water, dried over anhydrous magnesium sulfate, and filtered. The filtrate was concentrated under reduced pressure, and the residue was purified by silica gel column chromatography (hexane:ethyl acetate = 10:1) to give 7-benzyloxyindole (384 mg).

Uses
Reactant for preparation of pyrazolo-quinoline derivatives as adenosine receptor antagonists
Reactant for asymmetric total synthesis of diazonamide A
Reactant for preparation of HCV inhibitor
Reactant for preparation of substituted 3-cyanoindoles and 3-(4-pyridinyl)indoles as inhibitors of inosine monophosphate dehydrogenase, with antiproliferative activity on peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PMBC)
Reactant for preparation of [(indolyl)methyl]hydantoin and -thiohydantoin derivatives as treatment of necroptosis
Reactant for preparation of regioisomeric analogs of ED-110, indolocarbazole poisons of human topoisomerase I