Water → 2,3,4,4a,9,9a-Hexahydro-1H-carbazole

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Reaction Steps

1,2,3,4-Tetrahydrocarbazole (75 milligrams) was dissolved under nitrogen in 3 milliliters of trifluoroacetic acid. To the mixture, cooled in a water bath, was added dropwise about 1.5 milliliters of an about 1 M BH3.THF in tetrahydrofuran. The mixture was stirred at room temperature for about 45 minutes. Thereafter, water (1 milliliter) was added slowly and the resulting solution stirred for 10 minutes. The solution was then made basic with 10 percent aqueous sodium hydroxide, and the basic solution extracted with methylene chloride. The organic methylene chloride layer was washed once with saturated sodium chloride, dried over potassium carbonate, and evaporated in vacuo to obtain 60 milligrams (80 percent yield) of a crystalline 1,2,3,4,4a,9a-hexahydrocarbazole product, m.p., 93°-96° C.

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