Palladium-catalyzed synthesis of 1,2-dihydro-4(3H)-carbazolones. Formal total synthesis of murrayaquinone A

Two sequential palladium-catalyzed reactions are the key steps in a novel synthetic route to 1,2-dihydro-4(3H)-carbazolones. The steps are an intermolecular Stille cross-coupling followed by a reductive N-heteroannulation. A formal total synthesis of murrayaquinone A, employing this sequence, is reported.