Synthesis of β- and γ-carbolines by the palladium-catalyzed iminoannulation of alkynes

A variety of substituted beta- and gamma-carbolines have been prepared in moderate to excellent yields by the palladium-catalyzed annulation of internal and terminal acetylenes by the tert-butylimines of N-substituted 3-iodoindole-2-carboxaldehydes and 2-haloindole-3-carboxaldehydes, respectively. This annulation chemistry is effective for a wide range of alkynes, including aryl-, alkyl-, hydroxymethyl-, ethoxycarbonyl-, and trimethylsilyl-substituted alkynes. When an unsymmetrical internal alkyne is employed, this method generally gives two regioisomers. When a terminal alkyne is employed, only one regioisomer has been isolated. This palladium-catalyzed annulation chemistry has also been successfully applied to the synthesis of two biologically interesting beta-carboline alkaloids, ZK93423 and abecarnil (ZK112119).