Substituted Pyrrolo[3,4-a]carbazoles from Reactions between 3-(1-Methoxy-vinyl)indoles and Maleimides

Summary.

5-Methylenolether derivatives of pyrrolo[3,4-a]carbazoles were obtained from cycloadditions between 3-(1-methoxyvinyl)-1-tosylindole and N-substituted maleimides. They were transformed into the hydroxy derivatives by treatment with H₂SO₄, selectively reduced to the ether by H₂/Pd–C, and in the imide moiety by L-Selectride^®. From the analogous BOC protected indole derivative the parent α,β-unsaturated ketones were obtained, which were transformed into hydroxyimino compounds, and which could be deprotected by heating to the melting point. Deprotection of the tosyl derivatives was not successful. The imide part of the molecule was hydrolyzed using methanolic NaOH. The stereochemistry of all products was elucidated mainly by spectroscopic methods, and compared with results of calculations.