A new approach to indolo[2,3-a]quinolizidines through radical cyclization of 2-acyl-1-phenylthiotetrahydro-β-carbolines bearing pendent α,β-unsaturated esters

A new method is reported for the preparation of indolo[2,3-a]quinolizidines based on radical cyclization of a 2-acyl-1-phenylthiotetrahydro-β-carboline bearing a pendent α,β-unsaturated ester. The required radical cyclization precursor is efficiently assembled from E-5-ethoxycarbonyl-4-pentenoic acid and 3,4-dihydro-β-carboline through a DCC/HOBt-activation/N-acylation and BF3·Et2O/PhSH iminium-ion trapping sequence. Tin-mediated radical cyclization of the radical cyclization precursor affords stereoselectively a cis-lactam (dr = 7:1) in good yield (81%), bearing the correct D/E ring fusion stereochemistry for the Tacaman alkaloids. The methodology has been applied to formal syntheses of the indoloquinolizidine alkaloids, (±)-eburnaminol and (±)-larutensine.