Synthesis of 4-oxo-4,5-dihydro-3H-pyrrolo[2,3-c]quinoline-1-carboxylic acid ethyl ester and its isomer 1-oxo-2,9-dihydro-1H-β-carboline-4-carboxylic acid ethyl ester

4-Oxo-4,5-dihydro-3H-pyrrolo[2,3-c]quinoline-1-carboxylic acid ethyl ester was obtained when TosMIC was reacted with 3-methylene-oxindole acetic acid ethyl ester. An alternative synthesis to this pyrroloquinolone was performed via a reduction of a 2,3,4-trisubstituted pyrrole obtained in turn by treatment of a vinyl sulfone with ethyl isocyanoacetate under basic conditions. A β-carboline, isomeric with the pyrroloquinolone, was synthesised utilizing a tosylimine.