Pd(II)-SPRIX catalyzed enantioselective construction of pyrrolizines/pyrroloindoles employing molecular oxygen as the sole oxidant

Pd(II)-SPRIX catalyst coupled with an environmentally benign molecular oxygen as the sole oxidant successfully exploited the construction of pyrrolizines/pyrroloindoles, imperative scaffolds of bio-potent molecules through intramolecular C-N and C-C bond forming reactions in good yields with appreciable enantioselectivities.     

From 1,4-diketones to N-vinyl derivatives of 3,3′-bipyrroles and 4,8-dihydropyrrolo[2,3-f]indole in just two preparative steps

Dioximes of hexane-2,5-dione and cyclohexane-1,4-dione react with acetylene in an autoclave (KOH/DMSO, 100 °C, 1 h, initial pressure 14 atm) to give 2,2′-dimethyl-1,1′-divinyl-[3,3′]bipyrrole and 1,5-divinyl-4,8-dihydropyrrolo[2,3-f]indole in 12% and 6% yields, respectively, thus exemplifying a very simple, straightforward route to inaccessible or unknown pyrrolic assemblies.     

Synthesis of dipyrrolo[2,3-a:1′,2′,3′-fg]acridin-12(1H)-ones

Acylation reactions of 4,6-dimethoxyindoles with glyoxyloyl chlorides were achieved by the use of graphite powder in 1,2-dichloroethane at reflux. The products were monoketones as a result of decarbonylation, rather than the expected 1,2-diketones. Treatment of these monoketones with base led to their cyclisation and elimination of methanol to afford the novel dipyrrolo[2.3-a:1′,2′,3′-fg]acridin-12(1H)-ones.     

Effective synthetic routes to activated pyrrolo[3,2,1-hi]indoles

Pyrrolo[3,2,1-hi]indoles have been formed by the aldol cyclisation of 7-formyl-N-indolylacetates. The synthetic sequence incorporates three steps from suitably activated indoles: these are alkylation at nitrogen with a bromoacetic ester, formylation at C7 and an aldol condensation between these two substituents. An X-ray crystal structure of pyrrolo[3,2,1-hi]indole 24 is described.     

Study of the oxidation of 3-hydroxypyrroloindoles to pyrrolobenzoxazine alkaloids

This report describes a detailed study of the oxidation-Meisenheimer rearrangement of N-methyl-3-hydroxy-7-chloropyrroloindoline ethyl ester and the corresponding O-Boc and N-Boc derivatives. Experimental conditions were found, which allowed the selective Boc protection of either the tertiary alcohol substituent or the NH group of the aminal function. It was shown that both the parent compound and its O-Boc derivative yielded a mixture of oxazines and, in some cases, N-oxides upon treatment with m-CPBA. MS fragmentation (APCI) clearly differentiates formation of N-oxides and oxazines. The N-Boc derivatives exclusively yielded the N-oxides showing that the Meisenheimer rearrangement requires the presence of a high energy lone pair on the neighbouring nitrogen atom. Both the parent compound and the O-Boc derivative gave a mixture of rearranged products and N-oxide depending on the reaction conditions.     

Some reactions of 6,8-dimethoxypyrrolo[3,2,1-hi]indoles

Two 6,8-dimethoxypyrrolo[3,2,1-hi]indole carboxylic esters were hydrolyzed and decarboxylated. In an investigation of their electrophilic substitutions, some pyrroloindoles were formylated using the Vilsmeier reagent, and acylated with oxalyl chloride followed by quenching with dimethylamine to give the glyoxylic amides. The electrophilic substitutions occur at the C2 or C4 position (α to the nitrogen atom) rather than the C1 or C5 position (β to the nitrogen atom). Four of the formyl and acyl products were reduced to the corresponding methanol derivatives. These compounds reacted on treatment with a range of acids, but pure products could not be separated from the complex mixtures.     

Synthetic approaches to activated pyrrolo[3,2,1-hi]indoles: synthesis of 6,8-dimethoxy pyrrolo[3,2,1-hi]indole

6,8-Dimethoxypyrrolo[3,2,1-hi]indole 25 has been formed by the dehydrogenation of the related tetrahydro compound 23, which in turn was formed by reduction of the related isatin 22. Approaches to achieve the cyclisation of N-hydroxyethylindoles, N-dimethylacetamidoindoles, and C7-substituted chloroacetylindoles were unsuccessful.