Fused-Ring Indole Alkaloids

Easily prepared from glycols, enones have been investigated as dienophiles. They react with butadiene under Lewis acid catalysis to form chiral cyclohexenes used in the synthesis of compactin analogs [353]. Levoglucosenone has been used in a Diels-Alder reaction with acetoxy-butadiene to construct a part of the indole alkaloid reserpine [354], and in synthetic studies toward tetrodotoxin [355]. Analogs of the anthracycline rhodomycinone have been similarly prepared [356]. [4 + 2]-Cycloaddition of the same enone with silyloxydiene allowed the creation of the fused ring system present in actinobolin [357]. 

Perophoramidine (15), halogenated alkaloid, was isolated from the Philippine ascidian Perophora namei Hartmeyer and Michaelson (Perophoridae) [36a]. This compound contains fused hexahydropyrrolopyridine, indole and dUiydroquinoline rings. Amidine parts exist at the fusing part of the indole and quinoline rings. The stereochemistry was determined by... 

The molecule with pyrrole fused to a benzene ring, indole, is a key component of many alkaloids (Figure 12.55) skatole has a particularly unpleasant smell . Benzofuran is less commonly found biologically and is normally obtained from coal tar. 

Pyridopyrimidines and pyrimidines fused with five- or six-membered heterocycles can be prepared via the ring closure of intermediate ethynylpyrimidines, which are themselves obtained by the Pd-catalyzed cross-coupling of halopyrimidines with alkynic compounds (Scheme 34). ° ""° o-Alkynylanilines such as (51), which are made by Pd-catalyzed coupling reactions of alkynes with o-haloaniline precursors, are easily cyclized to the indoles in the presence of base (Scheme 35). " " Similar meth( s can be employed in the synthesis of isocoumarins," thienopyridines," furopy-ridines" and the marine alkaloid asptamine." ... 

The Indole Family. Tryptophan is also the precursor of another large alkaloid family based on the indole system. Usually, indole is found fused to other rings, as in physostigmine (3.22). Here, a pyrrolidine ting is fused to the b-face of indole. This alkaloid occurs in calabar beans. It is a potent inhibitor of cholinesterase, and like other such chemicals, it causes contraction of the pupil of the eye. In harmine (3.23), a pyridine ring is fused to the b-face. 

---