Simultaneous determination of tetrahydro-β-carbolines and β-carbolines

Summary Reversed-phase ion-pair HPLC with fluorimetric detectors connected in series was studied for the simultaneous determination of two tetrahydro--carbolines and two -carbolines. After additon of internal standards the samples were reacted with fluorescamine, and then subjected to serial extractions to remove their precursor (tryptamine) from the analytical system. This treatment not only suppressed the artefactual formation of tetrahydro--carbolines and -carbolines during analysis, but also effectively purified them. Under optimum conditions, using trifluoroacetic acid as counter ion, all analytes were separated within 14 min and without major interfering peaks. The quantitative ranges were 0.25–80.0 ng mL^–1 for both tetrahydro--carbolines and 0.1–30.0 ng mL^–1 for both -carbolines. Replicate spiking experiments showed that recovery from most of the samples tested was over 90% and the relative standard deviation ranged from 0.7 to 10.4% within and between assays. The proposed method was applicable to various materials such as soy sauce, vinegar, ketchup, tabasco, beer, wine, sake, whisky, brandy, cows' milk, coffee, cocoa, cheese, cigarette smoke and urine.     

Intramolecular palladium-catalysed enolate arylation of 2- and 3-iodoindole derivatives for the synthesis of β-carbolines, γ-carbolines, and pyrrolo[3,4-b]indoles

The palladium-catalysed intramolecular α-arylation of carbonyl compounds with amino-tethered 2- and 3-iodoindoles provides a useful methodology for the synthesis of indolo-b-fused nitrogen heterocycles. A variety of substituted tetrahydro β- and γ-carbolines, and pyrrolo[3,4-b]indoles, have been prepared by means of this palladium-catalysed annulation process.     

Organic base-promoted efficient dehydrogenative/decarboxylative aromatization of tetrahydro-β-carbolines into β-carbolines under air

Organic base DBN has been identified as an efficient reagent for promoting the dehydrogenative/decarboxylative aromatization of tetrahydro-β-carbolines under air atmosphere, to access the corresponding β-carbolines in moderate to good yields. The utility of this protocol for the gram-scale synthesis of β-carboline alkaloids eudistomin U (7) and harmane (10) has also been demonstrated.     

Synthesis of δ-carbolines via a Pd-catalyzed sequential reaction from 2-iodoanilines and N-tosyl-enynamines

A facile Pd-catalyzed sequential reaction has been developed for the synthesis of δ-carbolines from 2-iodoanilines and N-tosyl-enynamines. This protocol involves Larock heteroannulation/elimination/electrocyclization/oxidative aromatization cascade sequences and allows access to multisubstituted δ-carbolines in moderate to good yields.     

Use of the Pictet-Spengler reaction for the synthesis of 1,4-disubstituted-1,2,3,4-tetrahydro-β-carbolines and 1,4-disubstituted-β-carbolines: formation of γ-carbolines

Microwave-assisted conjugate addition of indole on nitro-olefins furnished nitro compounds, which were reduced to tryptamines. Further, by using Pictet-Spengler condensation, new 1,4-disubstituted-1,2,3,4-tetrahydro-β-carbolines were synthesized in diastereoselective manner. Dehydrogenation of the tetrahydro-β-carbolines produced new 1,4-disubstituted-β-carbolines. As a new observation, in some of the cases, Pictet-Spengler condensation and dehydrogenation gave two products, namely 1,4-disubstituted-β-carbolines and 1,4-disubstituted-γ-carbolines. A mechanism is proposed for this observation.     

o-Benzenedisulfonimide as a reusable acid catalyst for an easy, efficient, and green synthesis of tetrahydroisoquinolines and tetrahydro-β-carbolines through Pictet-Spengler reaction

The synthesis of tetrahydroisoquinolines and tetrahydro-β-carbolines, using the Pictet-Spengler reaction, was carried out in the presence of a catalytic amount of o-benzenedisulfonimide, which worked as a Brønsted acid organocatalyst. The reaction conditions were mild and green and good target product yields were achieved. The catalyst was easily recovered and purified, ready to be used in further reactions with economic and ecological advantages.     

Medium-sized and strained heterocycles from non-catalysed and gold-catalysed conversions of β-carbolines

2-Allyl-1-vinyl-β-carbolines and dihydropyrrolo-β-carbolines react with activated internal alkynes through novel rearrangement reactions leading to complex polycyclic structures. Favored reaction pathways depend on reaction conditions and on the presence of gold catalysts. In particular, upon reaction with 2 equiv. of the alkyne, new hexacyclic structures 10 are formed with total stereocontrol.     

Spectroscopic study of molecular associations between FMN and β-carbolines

The spectrophotometric and thermodynamic properties of molecular complexes of flavin mononucleotide (FMN) (riboflavin 5′-phosphate) with some β-carboline derivatives have been investigated in aqueous solution. The molecular associations have been examined by means of electronic absorption spectra, since in each a new charge-transfer band has been located, and also the variation of the fluorescence emission of FMN on the solutions has been observed. The formation constants for the molecular complexes were determined from absorption data using the Foster—Hammick—Wardley method. The quenching phenomenon observed in FMN fluorescence is related to the concentration of the β-carboline derivatives, allowing the calculation of the quenching constants for FMN-β-carboline complexes. Thermodynamic parameters have been determined from the values of association constants for the molecular complexes at various temperatures. The influence of substituents in the β-carboline molecule on the stability of the complexes formed was also investigated.     

Copper-Catalyzed Oxygenative Skeletal Rearrangement of Tetrahydro-β-carbolines Using H2O and O2 as Oxygen Sources

Herein, we report an unprecedented skeletal rearrangement reaction of tetrahydro-β-carbolines enabled by copper-catalyzed single-electron oxidative oxygenation, in which H₂O and O₂ act as oxygen sources to generate a unique 2-hydroxyl-3-peroxide indoline intermediate. The synthetic reactivity of 2-hydroxyl-3-peroxide indoline species was demonstrated by a unique multi-step bond cleavage and formation cascade. Using a readily available copper catalyst under open-air conditions, highly important yet synthetically difficult spiro[pyrrolidone-(3,1-benzoxazine)] products were obtained in a single operation. The synthetic utility of this methodology is demonstrated by the efficient synthesis of the natural products donaxanine and chimonamidine, as well as the 3-hydroxyl-pyrroloindoline scaffold, in just one or two steps.     

Synthesis of tetrahydro-β-carbolines from phthalic anhydrides and tryptamine

Tetrahydro-b-carbolines with strictosamide skeleton have been synthesized via intermolecular condensation, selective reduction, and intramolecular cyclization starting from phthalic anhydrides and tryptamine. The reactions are carried out under mild conditions with a wide range of substrates and functional groups.     

Synthesis of β- and γ-carbolines via ruthenium and rhodium catalysed [2+2+2] cycloadditions of yne-ynamides with methylcyanoformate

A flexible approach towards substituted β- and γ-carbolines based on transition metal catalysed [2+2+2] cycloaddition reactions between functionalised yne-ynamides and methylcyanoformate is described. The versatility of this new reaction sequence is demonstrated by its application in the total synthesis of the marine natural product eudistomin U.     

Synthesis of α-carbolines via Pd-catalyzed amidation and Vilsmeier-Haack reaction of 3-acetyl-2-chloroindoles

A new class of α-carboline derivatives has been synthesized by Pd(2)(dba)(3)/BINAP catalyzed amidation of 3-acetyl-2-chloroindoles followed by a Vilsmeier-Haack reaction and is reported.     

A mild and efficient route to 2-benzyl tryptamine derivatives via ring-opening of β-carbolines

We described a mild and easy method, in two steps, by which various benzyl groups were introduced in the C-2 position of tryptamine. The first step consisted on the synthesis of β-carbolines, starting from tryptamine derivatives, by a Pictet-Spengler reaction. Ring-opening of the β-carbolines, by hydrogenation, led to the desired 2-substituted benzyl tryptamine indole products. A supplementary step of alkylation could be realized to give N-alkyl-2-substituted benzyl tryptamine. During these reactions, nitrogen atoms require no step of protection.     

A qualitative/quantitative approach for the detection of 37 tryptamine-derived designer drugs, 5 β-carbolines, ibogaine, and yohimbine in human urine and plasma using standard urine screening and multi-analyte approaches

The first synthetic tryptamines have entered the designer drug market in the late 1990s and were distributed as psychedelic recreational drugs. In the meantime, several analogs have been brought onto the market indicating a growing interest in this drug class. So far, only scarce analytical data were available on the detectability of tryptamines in human biosamples. Therefore, the aim of the presented study was the development and full validation of a method for their detection in human urine and plasma and their quantification in human plasma. The liquid chromatography-linear ion trap mass spectrometry method presented covered 37 tryptamines as well as five β-carbolines, ibogaine, and yohimbine. Compounds were analyzed after protein precipitation of urine or fast liquid–liquid extraction of plasma using an LXQ linear ion trap coupled to an Accela ultra ultra high-performance liquid chromatography system. Data mining was performed via information-dependent acquisition or targeted product ion scan mode with positive electrospray ionization. The assay was selective for all tested substances with limits of detection in urine between 10 and 100 ng/mL and in plasma between 1 and 100 ng/mL. A validated quantification in plasma according to international recommendation could be demonstrated for 33 out of 44 analytes.     

Solvent-free synthesis of δ-carbolines/carbazoles from 3-nitro-2-phenylpyridines/2-nitrobiphenyl derivatives using DPPE as a reducing agent

A green and efficient preparation of functionalized δ-carbolines/carbazoles via reductive ring closure by 1,2-bis(dipenylphosphino)ethane under solvent-free conditions is described. The starting materials 3-nitro-2-phenylpyridines/2-nitrobiphenyl derivatives are readily prepared through Suzuki-Miyaura cross-coupling reaction from commercially available compounds. And the polar by-product ethane-1,2-diylbis(diphenylphosphine oxide) is easily removed from the relatively polar reaction mixture. Various substituted δ-carbolines/carbazoles are obtained in acceptable yields. It is particularly worth mentioning that substrates with electron-withdrawing groups (EWG) also give the desired products in good yield.     

Recent advances on the synthesis and application of tetrahydro-γ-carbolines

Tetrahydro-γ-carbolines(THγ Cs) constitute one of the most important subtypes of indole alkaloids. In addition to being substructures of natural products, these structural motifs and moieties can often be found in pharmaceuticals due to their diverse bioactivities such as antiviral, antibacterial, antifungal,antiparasitic, antitumor, anti-inflammatory, and neuropharmacological activities. Beyond the pharmacological and biological aspects of these scaffolds, they have considerable synthetic appli...     

Synthesis and cytotoxic activity of 3-phenyl-4-substituted-β-carbolines

A new class of 3-phenyl-4-substituted-β-carbolines via iodine-mediated electrophilic cyclization as key step were synthesized and their inhibitory activity against three tumor cell lines was evaluated in vitro.It was found that some of the tested compounds showed better cytotoxicity against HeLa and MCF-7 cells than harmine.     

Annulated 1,2,3,4-tetrahydro-β-carbolines by intramolecular Mannich-type amino- and amidoalkylations of N(9)-(ω-nitroalkyl)-3,4-dihydro-β-carbolines

2-[1-(ω-Nitroalkyl)-1H-indol-3-yl]ethylformamides 11 were transformed to the corresponding 9-(ω-nitroalkyl)-4,9-dihydro-3H-β-carbolines 5 and through a diastereoselective intramolecular aminoalkylation to the annulated tetrahydro-β-carbolines 13, in high yields. Intramolecular N-acyliminium cyclisation of compounds 5 afforded the tetracyclic diazacycloalkano[jk]fluorenes in two diastereoisomeric forms 18 and 19 with moderate selectivity. Conjugate addition reactions performed on compounds 18 and 19 led to pentacyclic indolo[3,2,1-de]pyrido[3,2,1-jk]naphthyridinone 26a or diazabenzo[a]naphtho[2,1,8-cde]azulenone 26b.     

Synthesis of 1,1-disubstituted tetrahydro-β-carbolines from 2-methyleneaziridines

Ring opening of indole functionalised methyleneaziridines (3a-c, 7) with alcohols in the presence of boron trifluoride etherate leads to the formation of 1,1-disubstituted tetrahydro-β-carbolines in moderate to good yields (37-83%).     

N-Propargyltetrahydrocarbazoles and N-propargyltetrahydro-γ-carbolines in 1,3-cycloaddition with azide-containing pharmacophores

Russian Chemical Bulletin - A modification of tetrahydrocarbazoles and tetrahydro-γ-carbolines with pharmacophore ligands was performed based on the copper-catalyzed 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition...