Transition metal complexes in organic synthesis. Part 68: Iron-mediated total synthesis of mukonine and mukonidine by oxidative cyclization with air as the oxidizing agent

The oxidative cyclization of 5-(2-amino-5-methoxycarbonylphenyl)-substituted tricarbonyl[η4-cyclohexa-1,3-diene]iron complexes by air in protic medium provides the corresponding tricarbonyl[η4-4a,9a-dihydro-9H-carbazole]iron complexes. This procedure is applied to the total synthesis of the 3-methoxycarbonylcarbazole alkaloids mukonine and mukonidine.