Aprocess for the assembly of carbazole alkaloids has been developed on the basis of ring-closing metathesis (RCM) and ringrearrangement-aromatization (RRA) as the key steps. This method is based on allyl Grignard addition to isatin derivatives to provide smooth access to 2,2-diallyl 3-oxindole derivatives through a 1,2-allyl shift. The diallyl derivatives were used as RCM precursors to afford a novel class of spirocyclopentene-3-oxindole derivatives, which underwent a novel RRA reaction to afford carbazole derivatives. The synthetic sequence to carbazoles was shortened by combining the RCM and RRA steps in an orthogonal tandem catalytic process. The utility of this methodology was further demonstrated by the straightforward synthesis of carbazole alkaloids, including amukonal derivative, girinimbilol, heptaphylline, and bis(2-hydroxy-3-methylcarbazole).

Iron can catalyze head-to-head dimerization of terminal aryl alkynes to give the corresponding (E) selective conjugated enynes in high yields. A variety of substituted aryl acetylenes underwent smooth dimerization using catalytic FeCl(3) and DMEDA in the presence of KO(t)Bu.

Regioselective dimerization of terminal aryl alkynes to produce conjugated enynes has been achieved using FeCl3 and KO(t)Bu in the presence of either DMEDA or dppe. The reaction proceeds smoothly in toluene at 145 °C for 2 h to give the corresponding head-to-head dimers in good to excellent yields (54 to 99%) with high E-selectivity (67 : 33 to 83 : 17 E/Z). Both strongly electron-donating and electron-withdrawing groups are compatible with this procedure. The bidentate phosphine (dppe) ligand exhibits better catalytic activity than the bidentate amine (DMEDA). The aliphatic acetylene fails to react under this catalytic system which suggests that potassium tertiary butoxide activates the conjugated system of aryl acetylene through cation-pi interaction and pi-pi interaction. A radical inhibitor (galvinoxyl or TEMPO) completely suppresses the reaction. Employing FeCl2 as a catalyst instead of FeCl3, only phenyl acetylene afforded the corresponding head to head dimer in good yield. Mechanistic pathways for both FeCl3 catalyzed dimerization of aryl alkynes and FeCl2 catalyzed dimerization of phenyl acetylene have been proposed.

No abstract

No abstract