Indole-3-carbaldehyde has reactivity typical of aromatic aldehydes. It can is easily oxidized to indole-3-carboxylic acid. It condenses with nitromethane in a Henry reaction to give 3-nitrovinyl indole.
Antifungal properties
Indole-3-carbaldehyde has antifungal properties, and partially accounts for the protection from chytridiomycosis seen in amphibian species which carry Janthinobacterium lividum on their skin.[8]
^ ab"Indole-3-carboxaldehyde". PubChem Compound. United States National Library of Medicine – National Center for Biotechnology Information. 11 November 2017. Retrieved 17 November 2017.
^"3-Indolepropionic acid". Human Metabolome Database. University of Alberta. Retrieved 12 June 2018.
^Chyan YJ, Poeggeler B, Omar RA, Chain DG, Frangione B, Ghiso J, Pappolla MA (July 1999). "Potent neuroprotective properties against the Alzheimer beta-amyloid by an endogenous melatonin-related indole structure, indole-3-propionic acid". J. Biol. Chem. 274 (31): 21937–21942. doi:10.1074/jbc.274.31.21937. PMID10419516. S2CID6630247. [Indole-3-propionic acid (IPA)] has previously been identified in the plasma and cerebrospinal fluid of humans, but its functions are not known. ... In kinetic competition experiments using free radical-trapping agents, the capacity of IPA to scavenge hydroxyl radicals exceeded that of melatonin, an indoleamine considered to be the most potent naturally occurring scavenger of free radicals. In contrast with other antioxidants, IPA was not converted to reactive intermediates with pro-oxidant activity.
^Brucker, Robert M.; Harris, Reid N.; Schwantes, Christian R.; Gallaher, Thomas N.; Flaherty, Devon C.; Lam, Brianna A.; Minbiole, Kevin P. C. (2008-11-01). "Amphibian chemical defense: antifungal metabolites of the microsymbiont Janthinobacterium lividum on the salamander Plethodon cinereus". Journal of Chemical Ecology. 34 (11): 1422–1429. doi:10.1007/s10886-008-9555-7. ISSN0098-0331. PMID18949519. S2CID9712168.