Total Synthesis of the Neuronal Cell-Protecting Carbazole Alkaloids Carbazomadurin A and (S)-(+)-Carbazomadurin B

The total syntheses of the neuronal cell-protecting carbazole alkaloids carbazomadurin A and (S)-(+)-carbazomadurin B were achieved. The key step of the synthesis of the polysubstituted carbazole rings included an allene-mediated electrocyclic reaction of the 6-electron system that involved the indole 2,3-bond. The cleavage of the alkoxy groups of the resulting 3-ethoxy-8-isopropoxycarbazole successfully gave the 3,8-dihydroxycarbazole, which was converted into the 3,8-bis(OSEM)-carbazole (SEM = 2-trimethylsilylethoxymethyl). A Suzuki-Miyaura cross-coupling reaction of the 3,8-bis(OSEM)-carbazole with the corresponding alkenyl pinacol borates afforded the 1-alkenylcarbazoles, which were treated with tetra-n-butylammonium fluoride (TBAF) followed by reduction with NaBH4 to provide carbazomadurin A and (S)-(+)-carbazomadurin B, respectively.