Synthesis of 4-(4-Alkyl-2-morpholinyl)indoles

N-substituted 4-(2-morpholinyl)indoles were prepared from 1-(t-butoxycarbonyl)-4-acetylindole (7) which was itself prepared from 4-cyanoindole. Bromination of ketone 7, followed by reaction with amines and subsequent sodium borohydride reduction, gave amino alcohols. These were converted to α-chloro amides that were cyclized to lactams. Lithium aluminum hydride reduction served both to remove the t-BOC protecting group and to reduce the lactams to the 4-(2-morpholinyl) indoles.