Synthesis of 1H-[1,2]diazepino[4,5-b]indole derivatives

A synthesis of four 1H-[1,2]diazepino[4,5-b]indole derivatives and some preliminary information about their biological activity are presented. The starting materials were 2-ethoxycarbonylindoles and 2-ethoxy-carbonyl-3-formylindoles, la, b and 2a, b, respectively. 2-Ethoxycarbonyls la, b reacted with 1-dimethylamino-2-nitroethylene and -2-ethoxycarbonyl-3-formylindoles 2a, b in the presence of nitroalkanes (nitromethane or nitroethane) giving 3-(2-nitrovinyl)indoles 3a, b. Reduction of 3a, b yielded β-(2-oxoalkyl)indoles 4. On reaction with an excess of hydrazine hydrate, compounds 4 gave satisfactory yields of 5-oxo-1H-[1,2]diazepino[4,5-b]indoles 5.