Visible-Light-Mediated Aerobic Tandem Dehydrogenative Povarov/Aromatization Reaction: Synthesis of Isocryptolepines

A metal-free, photoinduced aerobic tandem amine dehydrogenation/Povarov cyclization/aromatization reaction between N-aryl glycine esters and indoles leads to tetracyclic 11H-indolo[3,2-c]quinolines under mild conditions and with high yields. The reaction can be performed by using molecular iodine along with visible light, or by combining an organic photoredox catalyst with a halide anion. Mechanistic studies reveal that product formation occurs through a combination of radical-mediated oxidation steps with an iminium ion or N-haloiminium ion [4+2]-cycloaddition, and the N-heterocyclic products constitute new analogues of the antiplasmodial natural alkaloid isocryptolepine.