Water as an efficient medium for the synthesis of tetrahydro-β-carbolines via Pictet–Spengler reactions

A mild and efficient protocol for the Pictet–Spengler reaction in water using an acid catalyst has been described. The condensation of tryptophan, tryptamine, and Nb-benzyl tryptophan with different aldehydes having both electron-withdrawing and -donating substituents in the presence of a catalytic amount of TFA in water furnished tetrahydro-β-carbolines in good isolated yields. A salient feature of the water mediated Pictet–Spengler reaction was the general trend observed during the condensation of Trp-OMe and aryl/aliphatic aldehydes furnishing diastereomeric mixtures with a preference for the cis-isomer.