Recent developments in the chemistry of perhydroindoles and perhydrocinnolines

Recent synthetic routes to the tetrahydro, hexahydro and octahydro derivatives of indoles are reviewed. An interesting one is the formation of 3-amino-4-oxo-4,5,6,7-tetrahydroindoles in the reaction of 2-phenacyl cyclohexane-l,3-diones with 1,1-disubstituted hydrazines. Antifertility, cns depressant and antiinflammatory activities have been encountered for perhydroindoles besides other biological activities. Hexahydrocinnolines are obtained from the reaction of 2-phenacyl (acetonyl) cyclohexanones and cyclohexane-1,3-diones with hydrazines, while octahydrocinnolines are formed from cyclohexanone-2-acetic acids and hydrazines in two steps. 5-oxo-5,6,7,8-hexahydrocinnolines and their oximes undergo anomalous and interesting aromatisation reactions. Some hexahydrocinnolines are cns depressants while octahydrocinnolines are analgesics. More importantly, they are precursors for interesting azamorphinans