An efficient total synthesis of 9-methoxycarbazole-3-carbaldehyde based on a novel methodology for the preparation of methoxyindoles

A direct synthesis of naturally occurring 9-methoxycarbazole-3-carbaldehyde 1, based on our methodology for the synthesis of 1-methoxyindoles, is reported. A novel benzannulation strategy was employed using ring closing metathesis as the key step in this total synthesis. The synthesis of the natural product 1 has been achieved in seven steps in 14% overall yield from commercial materials and in only four steps from a methoxyindole compound obtained using the new methodology.