Synthesis of furan-fused 1,4-dihydrocarbazoles via an unusual Garratt-Braverman Cyclization of indolyl propargyl ethers and their antifungal activity

Abstract

The reactivity of indole based bis-propargyl ethers 4a-4g under Garratt-Braverman condition (KOBut in refluxing toluene) has been studied. Interestingly, these propargyl systems with one arm attached with substituted 3-indolyl derivatives leaving the other arm unsubstituted produced the 3,4-furan fused dihydrocarbazole derivatives 6a-6g (and not the expected carbazole derivatives) as the predominant product (70–82%) making this methodology to access such derivatives an attractive route. The results are supported by computational studies and some of the carbazole derivatives showed good antifungal activities.