Synthesis of 1-iodo-1,2,3,4,4a,9a-hexahydrocarbazoles and their isomerization into 3-iodo-2,4-propano-1,2,3,4-tetrahydroquinolines

The reactions of 2-(cyclohex-2-enyl)-4,5-difluoroaniline or N-methyl-2-(cyclohex-2-enyl)aniline with I₂ in CCl₄ in the presence of NaHCO₃ give 1-iodo-1,2,3,4,4a,9a-hexahydrocarbazoles, which isomerize in MeCN into the corresponding 3-iodo-2,4-propano-1,2,3,4-tetrahydroquinolines in quantitative yields.     

Preparation of 4,4a,9,9a-tetrahydrocarbazoles and 1,3a,4,8b-tetra-hydrocyclopenta[b]indoles

Halocyclization of mesylates or tosylates of 2-(cycloalk-2-en-1-yl)anilines gives N-methanesulfonyl-or N-toluenesulfonyl-1-halo-1,2,3,4,4a,9a-hexahydrocarbazoles, heating of which in DMF at 160°C or in piperidine at 110°C leads to 4,4a,9,9a-tetrahydro-3H-carbazoles. Heating N-methanesulfonyl-1-iodo-1,2,3,3a,4,8b-hexahydrocyclopenta[b]indole in DMF at 180—200°C gives 1,3a,4,9b-tetrahydrocyclopenta[b]indole, while in the presence of an ortho-methyl substituent the dehydroiodination reaction proceeds in piperidine at 110°C in high yield. The effect of the nature of the ortho substituent of N-methyl-1-iodo-1,2,3,3a,4,8b-hexahydrocyclopenta[b]indole on the conformational equilibrium of the cyclopentane ring has been established by ¹H NMR spectroscopy. __________ Translated from Khimiya Geterotsiklicheskikh Soedinenii, No. 8, pp. 1184–1190, August, 2006.     

Efficient Synthesis of Hexahydrocarbazoles

Selective reduction of the nitro group in methyl 1-(2-nitrophenyl)-4-oxo-cyclohex-2-enecarboxylates with zinc-acetic acid forms hexahydrocarbazoles. The reaction is applicable to the corresponding pyridyl analogs to generate azahexahydrocarbazoles. This provides an efficient method for the generation of tricyclic framework.