Indolo quinolizine synthesis

A further application of the Dieckmann cyclization is that leading to the synthesis of 3,4,6,12-tetrahydro-l(2jE )-indolo[2,3-6]quinolizin-l-one (398). ... 

Utilizing Wenkert s cyclization process, a number of new approaches have been elaborated for the synthesis of simple indolo[2,3-a]quinolizine derivatives. For example, treatment of JV-[2-(indol-3-yl)ethyl]piperidine (V-oxide (134) with trifluoroacetic anhydride gave piperideinium intermediate 135 in a Polonovski-type reaction, which could be cyclized in acidic medium to ( )-l (101). 

On the other hand, ( )-corynantheine was achieved from key intermediate 301, used previously in the synthesis of ajmaline (167). The fra/u-tosylhydrazone derivative 302 afforded the desired vinyl-substituted indolo[2,3-o]quinolizine 304 in moderate yield along with the corresponding ethylidene-substituted isomer. Formylation and methylation of 304 afforded finally ( )-corynantheine (164). 

A stereoselective total synthesis of ( )-hirsutine has been developed by Brown et al. (179). Catalytic hydrogenation of hydroxycyclopentenone 327, prepared previously (180), afforded a mixture of isomeric diols 328, which were quantitatively cleaved by sodium periodate to supply 329. Reductive amination of 329 with tryptamine resulted in tetrahydropyridine 330, which upon treatment with aqueous methanol in the presence of hydrochloric acid gave indolo-[2,3-a]quinolizine 321 with pseudo stereochemistry. Conversion of 321 to ( )-hirsutine was accomplished in a similar manner by Wenkert et al. (161) via selective reduction with diisobutylaluminum hydride and methylation with methanol (179). 

One application of lactone 140 as a chiral synthon may be found in the asymmetric synthesis of (+)-12b-epidevinylantirhine (143), a cleaved product of geissoschizol (Scheme 28) [62-63]. Treatment of 140 with tryptamine in hot toluene afforded 142, which cyclized to lactam 142 by mesylation and an Sn2 displacement. Hie Bischler-Napieralski reaction of 142, followed by reduction of the resulting iminium salt with NaBH4, produced stereoselectively, the indolo[2,3-a]quinolizine as a single isomer, which was further reduced with DIBAL to give (+)-12b-epidevinylantirhine (143). 

Ortho lithiation of 2-substituted indoles occurs readily, but fragmentation to an alkynylanilide may occur in some instances. The use of a 2-pyridyl group to facilitate the 3-lithiation of an indole was recently used in a synthesis of some indolo[2,3-a]quinolizine alkaloids an example is the synthesis of flavopereirine (22 Scheme 29). 

Synthesis of indolo[2,3-a]quinolizine ring system can be carried out by forming the C(12a)—C(12b) bond, and in fact, the availability of tryptamine, tryptophyl halides and the appro-... 

Several other groups have made use of the Smith indole synthesis, and a summary of this work is shown in Table 1. Gribble and cowoikers prepared 2-(2-pyridinyl)indoles en route to syntheses of several zwitterionic indolo[2,3-fl] quinolizine alkaloids (Entry 1) [13], and Husson and Hashimoto synthesized a derivative of the alkaloid goni-omitine via a Smith indole synthesis (Entry 2) [14]. Henegar and Hunt reported a very convenient synthesis of 2-trifluoromethylindole (Entry 3) [15], in which TMEDA was found to be necessary. Two bis-indoles were prepared in low yield (Entry 4), bnt this approach failed for n = 1 [16], The bridged indole shown in Entry 5 was synthesized following acid-catalyzed cyclization of the initially formed indole [17]. 

Scheme 3.29 Multicomponent synthesis of indolo[2,3-a]quinolizines developed by Menendez.

A somewhat related two-step method for the synthesis of areno[a]quinolizines involves the preparation of a cyclic hemiacetal from a p-dicarbonyl compound and an a,p-unsaturated aldehyde. The subsequent reaction of this hemiacetal with tryptamine in the presence of a Brpnsted acid affords the target product, probably through a Pictet-Spengler reaction, and the use of chiral Brpnsted acids has been investigated and found to lead to good enantioselections in some cases [74]. The reaction between P-amidoesters derived from tryptamine and a,p-unsaturated aldehydes affords lactams derived from the indolo[2,3-fl]quinolizin-4-one system [75]. 

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