Nouvelle voie de synthèse des dérivés de l'ellipticine et analogues alcaloïdes à activité antitumorale

A new snythesis of 6H-pyrido[4,3-b]carbazoles is described starting from substituted cyclohexanones involving the combination of Borsche's carbazole preparation and Cranwell and Saxton's ellipticine synthesis where the starting materials are easily available. The dehydrogenation step is accomplished at an early stage. In some cases (11-desmethyl ellipticines derivatives), 7H-pyrido[3,4-c]carbazoles were also obtained.