Application of Transition Metal‐Catalyzed C−H Activation Strategies in the Synthesis and Functionalization of β‐Carbolines

Abstract

Abstract β‐Carboline and its derivatives are well‐known for their biological and pharmacological properties and are considered as an important source of drug or drug leads. The traditional methods employed for the construction of β‐carbolines present certain limitations surfacing requirements for a better approach. The catalytic C−H activation strategy offers an attractive route owing to step‐ and atom‐economy. The transition metal‐catalyzed C−H activation has not just been employed for the synthesis of β‐carboline scaffold but also has paved the way for functionalization, scrutinizing the intrinsic directing property of β‐carbolines. This review focuses on exploring the efficiency of C−H activation in fabricating and functionalizing β‐carbolines, including the overview of substrate scope, regioselectivity and synthesis of some of the related natural products.