Studies of the tetrathiafulvalene mediated radical-polar crossover reaction directed toward the total synthesis of alkaloid natural products

The carbon skeleton of octahydro-1H-pyrrolo[2,3-d]carbazole (4), a tetracylic sub-unit which is common to a wide range of alkaloid natural products has been prepared by two approaches which exploit the one-pot radical-polar crossover chemistry mediated by tetrathiafulvalene. Both approaches proceed with complete stereoselectivity. Copyright (C) 1996 Elsevier Science Ltd.