Synthesis of 4-haloserotonin derivatives and synthesis of the toad alkaloid dehydrobufotenine

4-Chloro-, 4-bromo- and 4-iodoserotonin derivatives were synthesized from 4-halo-5-oxyindoles, themselves derived from coumarins. Synthesis of the 4-iodoserotonins involved conjugate addition of an allyl group to a 5-iodocoumarin, followed by conversion of the allyl group into an aminoethyl unit. One of the iodoserotonin derivatives was converted into the toad alkaloid dehydrobufotenine, which was isolated as its hydroiodide.