Dehydrative Mannich-Type Reaction for the Synthesis of Azepinobisindole Alkaloid Iheyamine A.

A concise synthesis of the azepinobisindole alkaloid iheyamine A from an indole-2,3-epoxide equivalent has been achieved. This method features a formal C3 electrophilic reaction of an indole-2,3-epoxide equivalent with tryptamine to form a 3-aminoindoline and a novel In-catalyzed dehydrative Mannich-type reaction of the hemiaminal to give the azepinobisindole core.