Cleavage of the C-3/N-4 Pond of tetracycles 1 and 6 with chloroformates or acyl chlorides, followed by reduction, led to tetrahydrocarbazoles 4a,b and 8b-d, from which dithioacetal 12 and sulfoxides 5a,b, 11, and 17 were prepared. Whereas attempts to construct the quaternary C-7 centre of akuammiline alkaloids either by DMTSF-promoted cyclization of 12 or by Pummerer cyclization of sulfoxides 5a,b and 11 resulted in failure, sulfoxide 17 underwent cyclization on the indole 3-position to give the tetracyclic 3,4-secoakuammilan-type derivative 18. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.