Alcohol-Initiated Dinitrile Cyclization in Basic Media: A Route Toward Pyrazino[1,2- a ]indole-3-Amines

A selective route to the formation of 1-alkoxypyrazino[1,2- a ]indole-3-amines through alcohol-initiated dinitrile cyclization, starting from N -(cyanomethyl)indole-2-carbonitriles under basic conditions, was discovered. The resulting compounds were shown to be unstable in solution, and a three-component reaction of the dinitrile, alcohol, and aromatic aldehyde was used to overcome the problem.