Synlett 2009(18): 3016-3018  
DOI: 10.1055/s-0029-1218007
LETTER
© Georg Thieme Verlag Stuttgart ˙ New York

Synthesis of Some New Optically Active Octahydro-6H-pyrido[4,3-b]-carbazole Derivatives

Nina Wache, Jens Christoffers*
Institut für Reine und Angewandte Chemie, Carl von Ossietzky-Universität Oldenburg, 26111 Oldenburg, Germany
Fax: +49(441)7983873; e-Mail: jens.christoffers@uni-oldenburg.de;
Further Information

Publication History

Received 25 August 2009
Publication Date:
02 October 2009 (online)

Abstract

An optically active octahydro-6H-pyrido[4.3-b]carbazole derivative was obtained by Fischer indolization of a decahydroisoquinolone with phenylhydrazine. The reaction proceeded with quantitative regioselectivity; no angular annulation products could be observed. The tetracyclic product was derivatized by sulfonamide, urea or carboxamide formation. Its linear constitution as well as relative and absolute configuration were established by single crystal X-ray crystallography of a derivative.

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8

(4aS,11aR)-Methyl 1,2,3,4,4a,5,11,11a-octahydro-6H-pyrido[4.3-b]carbazole-11a-carboxylate (2). TFA (1.0 mL, 1.5 g, 14 mmol) was added dropwise to the cooled (ice-water bath) isoquinolone 1 (347 mg, 1.11 mmol). The resulting solution was stirred for 15 h at 50 ˚C and then for 6.5 h at 100 ˚C. After cooling to ambient temperature, glacial AcOH (3 mL) and phenylhydrazine (240 mg, 2.22 mmol) were added. The mixture was again heated for 30 h at 100 ˚C and then poured onto ice (ca. 45 g). Aqueous KOH (5 mL, 50%) was added to the mixture until pH 14. Subsequently, CH2Cl2 (100 mL) was added and the layers were separated. The aqueous layer was extracted with CH2Cl2 (2 × 100 mL). The combined organic layers were washed with water (100 mL) and dried (MgSO4). After filtration, the solvent was evaporated and the residue was purified by chromatography (SiO2; CH2Cl2-MeOH, 2:1; R f  = 0.23) to yield the title compound 2 (170 mg, 0.60 mmol, 54%) as a yellow solid; mp 170-180 ˚C (dec.). ¹H NMR (CDCl3, 300 MHz): δ = 1.64 (d, J = 12.5 Hz, 1 H, 4-H), 1.93-2.21 (m, 1 H, 4a-H), 2.12 (dq, J = 4.5 Hz, J = 15.6 Hz, 2 H, 4-H and 2-NH), 2.47 (d, J = 15.7 Hz, 1 H, 11-H), 2.65 (d, J = 12.7 Hz, 2 H, 1-H and 5-H), 2.76 (dt, J =12.3 Hz, J = 3.0 Hz, 1 H, 3-H), 3.08 (dd, J =11.6 Hz, J = 14.9 Hz, 1 H, 5-H), 3.21 (d, J = 15.7 Hz, 2 H, 3-H and 11-H), 3.56 (s, 3 H, OCH3), 3.60 (d, J = 12.4 Hz, 1 H, 1-H), 7.05-7.12 (m, 2 H, 8-H and 9-H), 7.23-7.26 (m, 1 H, 7-H), 7.42 (d, J = 7.0 Hz, 1 H, 10-H), 8.05 (s, 1 H, 6-NH). ¹³C{¹H} NMR (CDCl3, 126 MHz): δ = 27.90 (CH2, C-4), 29.73 (CH2, C-5 or C-11), 30.26 (CH2, C-11 or C-5), 40.13 (CH, C-4a), 46.89 (CH2, C-3), 47.14 (C, C-11a), 51.66 (CH3), 56.75 (CH2, C-1), 107.17 (C, C-10b), 110.44 (CH, C-7), 117.66 (CH, C-10), 119.14 (CH, C-9), 121.16 (CH, C-8), 127.39 (C, C-10a), 133.26 (C, C-5a), 135.89 (C, C-6a), 174.72 (CO). IR (ATR): 3345 (m), 3140 (w), 3049 (w), 2922 (s), 2852 (m), 1705  (s), 1589 (m), 1451 (s), 1324 (m), 1194 (s), 741 (vs) cm. MS (EI, 70 eV): m/z (%) = 284 (100) [M+], 252 (40), 241 (12), 225 (50), 208 (70), 194 (60), 180 (54), 167 (56), 157 (20), 143 (52). HRMS (EI, 70 eV): m/z [M+] calcd for C17H20N2O2: 284.1525; found: 284.1523. [α]D ²0 +81 (c 1.3, CHCl3).

9

(4aS,11aR)-Methyl 2-(4-bromobenzenesulfonyl)-1,2,3,4,4a,5,11,11a-octahydro-6H-pyrido[4.3-b]carbazole-11a-carboxylate (5). Et3N (57 mg, 0.56 mmol) and 4-BrC6H4SO2Cl (142 mg, 0.56 mmol) were subsequently added to a cooled (ice-water bath) solution of the carbazole 2 (79 mg, 0.28 mmol) in CH2Cl2 (0.6 mL). The resulting mixture was stirred for 2 h at 23 ˚C and then diluted with water (2 mL) and the layers were separated. The aqueous layer was extracted with CH2Cl2 (3 × 1 mL). The combined organic layers were dried (MgSO4) and the solvent was evaporated after filtration. Two-fold chromatography of the residue (SiO2; hexane-MTBE, 1:2; R f  = 0.36; then hexane-EtOAc, 1:2) gave the title compound 5 (100 mg, 0.200 mmol, 71%) as a brown solid; mp 165-175 ˚C (dec.). Single crystals were obtained by slow evaporation of a solution in CHCl3. ¹H NMR (CDCl3, 500 MHz): δ = 1.72-1.82 (m, 2 H), 2.23 (d, J = 11.5 Hz, 1 H), 2.30-2.48 (m, 3 H), 2.64-2.70 (dd, J = 5.4 Hz, J = 16.0 Hz, 1 H), 3.18-3.39 (m, 2 H), 3.58 (s, 3 H), 3.90-3.94 (m, 1 H), 4.35 (dd, J = 1.7 Hz, J = 11.5 Hz, 1 H), 7.04-7.08 (m, 1 H), 7.08-7.13 (m, 1 H), 7.23-7.27 (m, 1 H), 7.39 (d, J = 7.8 Hz, 1 H), 7.63-7.66 (m, 2 H), 7.70-7.71 (m, 2 H), 7.74 (s, 1 H). ¹³C{¹H} NMR (CDCl3, 126 MHz): δ = 27.05 (CH2), 28.35 (CH2), 29.91 (CH2), 39.27 (CH), 46.63 (C), 47.05 (CH2), 51.93 (CH3), 55.76 (CH2), 106.00 (C), 110.54 (CH), 117.55 (CH), 119.26 (CH), 121.39 (CH), 127.03 (C), 127.90 (C), 129.11 (2 × CH), 132.42 (2 × CH), 132.96 (C), 135.56 (C), 135.89 (C), 172.61 (C). IR (ATR): 3370 (s), 2953 (w), 2915 (m), 2853 (m), 1719  (s), 1575  (m), 1469 (m), 1454 (m), 1389 (m), 1339 (s), 1324 (m), 1234 (vs), 1159 (vs), 1090 (s), 1011 (m), 943 (m), 916 (vs), 747 (vs), 732 (vs) cm. MS (EI, 70 eV): m/z (%) = 502 (42) [M+], 283 (69), 251 (100), 223 (29), 194 (58), 143 (38), 97 (27). HRMS (EI, 70 eV): m/z [M+] calcd for C23H23BrN2O4S: 502.0562; found: 502.0566. [α]D ²0 -46 (c 0.9, CH2Cl2).

11

CCDC 742770 (5) contains the supplementary crystallographic data for this paper. These data can be obtained free of charge via www.ccdc.cam.ac.uk, or by emailing data_request@ccdc.cam.ac.uk, or by contacting The Cambridge Crystallographic Data Centre, 12, Union Road, Cambridge CB2 1EZ, UK; fax: +44 (1223)336033