Pyrrolocarbazole analogs of aromatic skeleton of indolocarbazole natural products

Abstract

Abstract The synthesis of seven pyrrolo[2,3‐ a ]carbazoles derivatives using Fischer indole cyclization conditions is described. Polyphosphoric acid trimethylsilyl ester was used as a mild catalyst for the cyclization step of intermediate arylhydrazones which were prepared from ethyl 7‐oxo‐4,5,6,7‐tetrahydroindole‐2‐carboxylate and used as such without further purification. In all cases a mixture of two products was obtained, the dihydro and the corresponding dehydrogenated one. The completion of the dehydrogenation was achieved by treatment of this resultant mixture with dichlorodicyanoquinone.