Synthesis of 9-(arylalkyl)-1,2,3,4-tetrahydro-γ-carboline and analogues and intermediates

1. A method of preparing a compound of formula (II):

wherein

—R 6 , —R 7 , —R 8 , and —R 9 are each independently —H or —P A ;

—R 10 is independently —H or —P A ;

-L 1 - is independently linear C 1-6 alkylene;

—P is independently pyridine or phenyl, optionally substituted with one or more groups —P A ;

each —P A is independently C 1-6 alkyl;

said method comprising the step of:

reacting a compound of formula (VI):

with a reducing agent

to form a compound of formula (II).

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the compound of formula (VI) is reacted with a reducing agent comprising Bu 4 NBH 4 to form the compound of formula (II).

3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the reaction is performed at reflux in an organic solvent.

4. The reaction according to claim 1 , wherein, after reaction, the reaction mixture is hydrolyzed.

5. The method according to claim 1 comprising the steps of, in order:

coupling a compound of formula (V):

with a compound of formula (VII):

to form a compound of formula (VI);

and

reacting the compound of formula (VI) with a reducing agent to form a compound of formula (II).

6. The method according to claim 5 , wherein the compound of formula (V) is coupled with the compound of formula (VII) using a coupling reagent which is a carbodiimide.

7. The method according to claim 6 , wherein the carbodiimide is DCC, EDC, or DIC.

8. The method according to claim 5 , wherein the compound of formula (V) is coupled with the compound of formula (VII) using a coupling reagent which is a haloformate.

9. The method according to claim 8 , wherein the haloformate is iso-butyl chloroformate.

10. The method claim 5 , wherein a coupling reagent is used in combination with a phase transfer catalyst.

11. The method according to claim 10 , wherein the phase transfer catalyst is Bu 4 NBF 4 .

12. The method according to claim 5 wherein a coupling reagent is used in combination with a base.

13. The method according to claim 5 comprising the steps of, in order:

hydrolyzing a compound of formula (IV):

wherein

Y is S or O;

—R N1 and —R N2 are each independently —H or C 1-6 alkyl, or —R N1 and —R N2 taken together with the nitrogen atom to which they are attached, form a 5-, 6-, or 7-membered non-aromatic ring having exactly 1 ring heteroatom or exactly 2 ring heteroatoms, wherein one of said exactly 2 ring heteroatoms is N, and the other of said exactly 2 ring heteroatoms is independently N, O, or S;

to form a compound of formula (V);

coupling the compound of formula (V) with a compound of formula (VII) to form a compound of formula (VI);

and

reacting the compound of formula (VI) with a reducing agent to form a compound of formula (II).

14. The method according to claim 13 , wherein the compound of formula (IV) is hydrolyzed by reaction with a base to form the compound of formula (II).

15. The method according to claim 14 , wherein the base is sodium hydroxide.

16. The method according to claim 13 , wherein, after reaction, an amine by-product, NHR N1 R N2 , is separated from the compound of formula (V).

17. The method according to claim 13 comprising the steps of, in order:

reacting a compound of formula (III)

wherein -T 1 is linear C 1-6 alkyl;

to form a compound of formula (IV);

hydrolyzing the compound of formula (IV) to form a compound of formula (V);

coupling the compound of formula (V) with a compound of formula (VII) to form a compound of formula (VI); and

reacting the compound of formula (VI) with a reducing agent to form a compound of formula (II).

18. The method according to claim 17 , wherein the compound of formula (III) is reacted with an amine, NHR N1 R N2 , and a sulfinating agent to form the compound of formula (IV), where —R N1 and —R N2 are as defined according to the compounds of formula (IV).

19. The method according to claim 18 , wherein the sulfinating agent is, or comprises, sulfur.

20. A method of preparing a compound of formula (I):

wherein

—R 6 , —R 7 , —R 8 , and —R 9 are each independently —H or —P A ;

-L 1 - is linear C 1-6 alkylene;

—P is independently pyridine or phenyl, optionally substituted with one or more groups —P A ;

each —P A is independently —C 1-6 alkyl

—R 1 and —R 3 are each independently —H or —C 1-6 alkyl;

and X is independently selected from CH 2 , CHR A , CR A 2 , NH, NR A , O, S, S(O), and S(O) 2 − ;

said method comprising the method as defined in claim 1 of preparing a compound of formula (II), with the proviso that —R 10 is —H.

21. The method of claim 20 , further comprising the step of reacting the compound of formula (II) with nitrous acid to form a compound of formula (VIII):

wherein —R 6 , —R 7 , —R 8 , —R 9 , -L 1 -, —P and —R 10 are —H.

22. The method of claim 21 further comprising the step of reacting compound (VIII) with a reducing agent to form a compound of formula (IX):

23. The method of claim 22 , wherein compound (VIII) is reacted with a reducing agent selected from zinc or LiAlH 4 .

24. The method according to claim 22 , further comprising the step of reacting compound (IX) to form compound (I).

25. The method according to claim 24 , wherein compound (IX) is reacted with a compound of formula (X):

26. The method according to claim 25 , wherein the compound (X) is selected from 1-methyl-piperidin-4-one, tetrahydro-pyran-4-one and tetrahydro-thiopyran-4-one.

27. A compound of formula (I)

wherein

—R 6 , —R 7 , —R 8 , and —R 9 are each independently —H or —P A

-L 1 - is linear C 1-6 alkylene;

—P is independently pyridine or phenyl, optionally substituted with one or more groups —P A ;

each —P A is C 1-6 alkyl;

and wherein

—R 1 and —R 3 are each independently —H or —C 1-6 alkyl;

X is selected from O, S, S(O) or S(O) 2 ;

and the dashed line indicates that the bond is a single bond or a double bond between the 4a and 9a atoms.