ABSTRACT
We describe the synthesis of 1,1'- and 2,2'-bicarbazoles by oxidative homocoupling of 2- and 1-hydroxycarbazoles. The oxidative coupling using catalytic amounts of F16 PcFe can be applied to both groups of substrates. Although F16 PcFe generally provides the best yields for the synthesis of 1,1'-bicarbazoles, di-tert-butyl peroxide affords better results for the 2,2'-bicarbazoles. In our study, we have achieved the first syntheses of the biscarbalexines A-C, bisglybomine B, 2,2'-dihydroxy-7,7'-dimethoxy-3,3'-dimethyl-1,1'-bicarbazole, bispyrayafoline C, and bisisomahanine. The iron-catalyzed coupling of koenigine led to an improved synthesis of 8,8''-biskoenigine and afforded an unprecedented decacylic product. Oxidative coupling of 1-hydroxycarbazoles led to bisclausenol, and to the first total syntheses of bismurrayafoline B and D.
ABSTRACT
A series of 49 oxygenated tricyclic carbazole derivatives has been tested for inhibition of the growth of Mycobacterium tuberculosis and a mammalian cell line (vero cells). From this series, twelve carbazoles showed a significant anti-TB activity. The four most active compounds were the naturally occurring carbazole alkaloids clauszoline-M (45), murrayaline-C (41), carbalexin-C (27), and the synthetic carbazole derivative 22 with MIC90 values ranging from 1.5 to 3.7µM. The active compounds were virtually nontoxic for the mammalian cell line in the concentration range up to 50µM.
Subject(s)
Alkaloids/chemistry , Antitubercular Agents/chemistry , Carbazoles/chemistry , Alkaloids/chemical synthesis , Alkaloids/pharmacology , Animals , Antitubercular Agents/chemical synthesis , Antitubercular Agents/pharmacology , Carbazoles/chemical synthesis , Carbazoles/pharmacology , Cell Survival/drug effects , Chlorocebus aethiops , Microbial Sensitivity Tests , Mycobacterium tuberculosis/drug effects , Structure-Activity Relationship , Vero CellsABSTRACT
We describe the total synthesis of methylene-bridged biscarbazole alkaloids by using a late-stage Ullmann-type coupling of fully functionalised carbazole subunits. The carbazole derivatives were synthesised via a sequence of palladium(0)- and palladium(II)-catalysed coupling reactions. Our approach has provided bismurrayafoline-A, bismurrayafolinol, chrestifolinesâ B-D, and the first total synthesis of murrastifoline-C and murrafoline-E.