Y-Carbolines

According to the Ring Index, the system is classified as pyrido-indole and numbered as in 6 (harmine = 7-methoxy-1-methyl-9 -pyrido[3,4-fc]indole). This is the nomenclature adopted by Chemical Abstracts, according to which a-carboline (5) is 9 -pyrido[2,3-6]indole, jS-carboline (6) is 9jy-pyrido[3,4-6]indole, y-carboline (7) is pyrido[4,3-6]indole, and S-carbohne (8) is 5jy-pyrido[3,2-fc]indole. 

Tetrahydro-y-carbolines may be prepared by an internal Mannich-type reaction between 2-j8-aminoethyhndoles and formaldehyde. Kebrle et al. prepared 27 by the reaction of 2-lithio-l-methyl-indole with A-benzyl-A-ethylaminoacetone followed by debenzyl-ation treatment of 27 with formaldehyde led to the formation of the tetrahydro-y-carboline 28. Similarly, when the quaternary salts (30) of the Mannich bases (29) are heated at 100°, 1,2,3,4-tetrahydro-y-carbohnium salts (31) are formed. 

Variously substituted 1,2,3,4-tetrahydro-y-carbolines (43c) may be obtained readily from 4-piperidone phenylhydrazones (43b). In fact, probably the first appbcation of the Fischer... 

Tetrahydrocarboline derivatives have recently been synthesized from 2-o-nitroarylated cyclohexanone derivatives. Thus, reductive cyclization of 3-(2,4-dinitrophenyl)-l-methyl-4-piperidone (68) (prepared by the reaction of 2,4-dinitrochlorobenzene with l-methyl-4-A-pyrrolidmo-3-piperideine) gave 7-amino-2-methyl-l,2,3,4-tetrahydro-y-carboline (69). Neither catalytic nor chemical reduction of the... 

The reduction of 2-methyl-1,2,3,4-tetrahydro-y-carboline (92) with zinc and hydrochloric acid in the presence of mercuric chloride gives the indolenine derivative, 2-methyl-l,2,3,4,4a,9b-hexahydro-y-carbo-line (93). A related compound, 4,9b-diethyl-2-methyl-l,2,3,4,4a,9b-hexahydro-y-carboline (96), was obtained by catalytic hydrogenation of 95, which was prepared by Fischer ring closure of the phenyl-hydrazone 94. The stereochemistry of the B/C ring junction in these... 

Dehydration of a spirocyclic quaternary salt such as 147 gives rise to a 3,4-dihydro-y-carboline (148). This reaction is not, however, of general applicability since both 149 (R = C2H5) and 149 (R = CH2C6H5) yield the fully aromatic carbolinium salt 150 under the same conditions. 

The extension of the method to the synthesis of y-carboline from 1-y-pyridylbenztriazole (199) and of a 3,4-benz-y-carboline from a l-(4-quinolyl)benztriazole proceeded smoothly. In an alternative approach excellent yields of y-carboline were obtained by heating l-phenylpyrido[3,4-d] -triazole (200) at 320-350°. The synthesis of halogeno-substituted j8- and y-carbolines via the Graebe-Ullmann reaction has been reported. ... 

Preliminary experiments indicate that a-carboline is the major isomer formed in the reaction. The preparation of a mixture of a-(81.5%) and y-carboline (18.5%) from 3-o-nitrosophenylpyridine... 

The tetracyclic y-carboline derivative 233 was obtained via an interesting ring contraction when the seven-membered ring compound 232 was heated with selenium. 

A synthetic approach to the same tetracyclic y-carboline nucleus (235) is the consecutive Fischer indole and Bischler-Napieralski ring closure of o-acetamidoacetophenone methylphenyUiydrazone (234). The Bischler-Napieralski reaction has also been used in the synthesis of 3,4-benz-j8-carbolines (236) and 3,4-benz-3-carbolines, e.g. 237... 

It is possible that the 7-methoxy group is necessary to render the benzene ring of these j8-carboline derivatives susceptible to oxidative attack. However, a y-carboline derivative (285) has been reported to undergo an analogous oxidation and decarboxylation. ... 

Tertiary p2/ -V-alkyl-l,2,3,4-tetrahydro-j8- and -y-carboline derivatives can be quaternized at the same site to give 2,2-dialkyl-l,2,3,4-tetrahydro-j8- and -y-carbolinium... 

Alkylation at the ind-N of l,2,3,4-tetrahydro-j8-carbolines has been carried out with alkyl halide after treatment with sodamide in the usual manner. Cyanoethylation of a p /r-V-substituted tetrahydro-jS-carboline in the presence of Triton B yields the corresponding 9-cyanoethyl derivative. Similarly, treatment of p / -V-methyl-l,2,3,4,4a,9b-hexahydro-y-carboline with sodamide, followed by benzyl chloride, leads to the ind-A -benzyl-substituted derivatives. l-Oxo-l,2,3,4-tetrahydro-j8-carboline yields the ind-A -methyl derivative directly with dimethyl sulfate.Prolonged treatment with sodium hydride, followed by methyl iodide, yields the 2,9-dimethyl derivative. Heating with sodium hydride in acetone followed by the addition of dimethyl sulfate gives rise to the ind-V-methyl derivative. ... 

Ultraviolet spectra of a l,2-dihydro-y-carboline derivative and of a number of quaternary l,2-benz-3,4-dihydro-j8-carbolinium derivatives and of the anhydro-bases derived from them have been... 

For a structure-activity relationship study on 5//-pyrido[4,3-(j]indoles (y-carbolines), we needed both 1-unsubstituted 271 and 1-substituted methyl 2,3-dihydro-3-oxo-5//-pyrido[4,3-(j]indole-4-carboxylates 272 (Scheme 42). 

Hie reactions of 4-chloropyridines and quinolines 17 with benzotriazoles 18 in a modified Graebe-Ullman synthesis give excellent yields of Y arbolines and their benzo-fused derivatives 20. Excellent yields for preparation of the penultimate benzotriazole precursors 19 are reported as well. In the optimized one-pot conditions, the combined neat substrates are heated with microwave irradiation (MW) for short (7-10 min) durations. The crude 19 is treated with H4P2O7 and irradiated futher (4-6 min). The resultant y-carbolines 20 were methylated to form the quaternary salts. These were tested and found to lack DNA intercalation properties <96JOC5587>. 

By employing imines derived from indoles, one can easily prepare p- and y-carbolines (Scheme 6).7 In this chemistry, terminal alkynes can also be... 

Yang described the Pd-induced cyclization of an aryl bromide onto a pendant cyano group leading to y-carbolines and related compounds [488], Genet studied the use of chiral palladium complexes in the construction of the C-ring of ergot alkaloids, a study that culminated in a synthesis of (-)-chanoclavine I [489-491]. For example, nitroindole 388 is cyclized to 389 in 57% yield and with enantioselectivities of up to 95% using Pd(OAc)2 and (S)-(-)-BINAP. 

Methods were described for HPLC determination of the mutagenic and carcinogenic a-carbolines (56,57), y-carbolines (58,59)155 160, and other products of amino acid pyrolysis found in cigarette smoke, diesel exhaust and cooked foods and phenazines (60, 61) present as impurities of certain pesticides161. These compounds were also determined in human plasma, urine and bile161,162. 

Indole oximes are widely used in the synthesis of a-, /3- and y-carbolines. Synthesis of a-carbolines 302 was easily realized from 0-2,4-dinitrophenyl-substituted oximes 301... 

Derivatives of y-carbolines were also sucessfully obtained by cyclization of indole oxime derivatives. Refluxing of oximes 308 in xylene gave the y-carbolines 309 in 51-55% yields (equation 133). ... 

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