An account of synthetic strategies towards indolocarbazole alkaloids: Arcyriaflavin A and staurosporinone

Abstract

An account of synthetic methods developed for indolocarbazole alkaloids arcyriaflavin A and staurosporinone is presented. Based on a common pathway or key intermediate involved, all these methods are broadly grouped into four categories: 1) using bisindolyl maleimide/anhydride, 2) from bisindoles, 3) using Fischer indolisation, 4) involving nitrene insertion. This review discusses in detail the strategies involved in the construction of these two molecules. • This review provides a detailed account of all the strategies developed for the synthesis of arcyriaflavin A and staurosporinone. • All these methods have been broadly classified into 4 categories based on a common intermediate or a reaction pathway involved in the construction of these molecules. • Both these alkaloids and their synthetic analogues having substituents on either side of the indole rings have been synthesised providing a library of compounds for biological activity studies.