Fused β-carbolines were synthesized via a visible light photoredox catalyzed oxidation/[3 + 2] cycloaddition/oxidative aromatization reaction cascade in batch and flow microreactors. Several structurally diverse heterocyclic scaffolds were obtained in good yields by coupling of tetrahydro-β-carbolines with a variety of dipolarophiles under photoredox multiple C–C bond forming events. The photoredox coupling of tetrahydro-β-carboline with 1,4-benzoquinone was significantly faster in continuous flow microreactors and the desired products were obtained in higher yields compared to batch reactors.
Visible-light photoredox catalysis: direct synthesis of fused β-carbolines through an oxidation/[3 + 2] cycloaddition/oxidative aromatization reaction cascade in batch and flow microreactors
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Corresponding authors
a
Division of Medicinal Chemistry and Pharmacology, CSIR-Indian Institute of Chemical Technology, Hyderabad-500007, India 
E-mail: ramaurya@iict.res.in
E-mail: ramaurya@iict.res.in
b
National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, Balanagar, Hyderabad-500035, India
c
Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research, New Delhi 110025, India
Org. Chem. Front., 2015,2, 1308-1312
DOI: 10.1039/C5QO00207A
http://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlelanding/2015/qo/c5qo00207a#!divAbstract

Jeevak Kapure
http://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlelanding/2015/qo/c5qo00207a#!divAbstract
Ram Awatar Maurya
Fused β-carbolines were synthesized via a visible light 
photoredox catalyzed oxidation/[3 + 2] cycloaddition/oxidative 
aromatization reaction cascade in batch and flow microreactors.
Several structurally diverse heterocyclic scaffolds were obtained in 
good yields by coupling of tetrahydro-β-carbolines with a variety of 
dipolarophiles under photoredox multiple C–C bond forming events.
The photoredox coupling of tetrahydro-β-carboline with 1,4-benzoquinone 
was significantly faster in continuous flow microreactors and the 
desired products were obtained in higher yields compared to batch 
reactors.
Synthetic procedures General experimental procedures for the synthesis 
of N-alkylated of tetrahydro-β-carbolines 1a-f: In a 25 mL round bottom 
flask, tryptoline (86 mg, 0.5 mmol), α-halo carbonyls (0.5 mmol), Et3N 
(50 mg, 0.5 mmol) and CH2Cl2 (5 mL) was taken and the reaction mixture 
was stirred at ambient temperature for 2 h. Next the reaction mixture 
was diluted with CH2Cl2 (15 mL) and washed with water. The organic layer
 was dried over anhydrous Na2SO4 and evaporated to yield a crude product
 which was purified by silica-gel column chromatography using ethyl 
acetate/hexane in increasing polarity to yield compounds 1a-f.
General experimental procedures for the visible light photoredox 
catalyzed coupling of Nalkylated of tetrahydro-β-carbolines 1a-f with 
dipolarophiles 2a-g under batch conditions: In a 25 mL round bottom 
flask, tetrahydro-β-carbolines 1a-f (0.1 mmol), dipolarophiles 2a-g (0.1
 mmol), [Ru(bpy)3Cl2]·6H2O (0.5 mol%) and MeCN (5 mL) was taken. The 
reaction vessel was kept at a distance of 10 cm (approx.) from a visible
 light source (11W white LED bulb) and the reaction mixture was stirred 
in open air condition until the reaction was complete (TLC). Next the 
reaction mixture was concentrated to give a crude product which was 
purified Electronic Supplementary Material (ESI) for Organic Chemistry 
Frontiers. This journal is © the Partner Organisations 2015 by 
silica-gel column chromatography using ethyl acetate/hexane in 
increasing polarity to yield compounds 3a-n
General experimental procedures for the visible light photoredox 
catalyzed coupling of Nalkylated of tetrahydro-β-carbolines 1a with 
dipolarophiles 2a in flow microreactors: A solution of 
tetrahydro-β-carboline 1a (0.2 mmol) and dipolarophile 2a (0.2 mmol) in 
MeCN (5 mL) was kept in one syringe and the solutions of photocatalyst 
[Ru(bpy)3Cl2]·6H2O (0.001 mmol in 5 mL MeCN) and t-BuOOH (2 mmol in 2 mL
 MeCN) were taken in two separate syringes. All the three solutions were
 pumped via two syringe pumps and mixed on an Xjunction and flown 
through the capillary microreactor wrapped over a visible light source 
(11W white LED bulb). Under stable conditions, exactly 6 mL of the 
reaction mixture was collected, concentrated to yield a crude product 
which was purified by silica-gel column chromatography using ethyl 
acetate/hexane in increasing polarity to yield compounds 3a
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