A versatile new synthesis of 4-aryl- and heteroaryl-[3,4-c]pyrrolocarbazoles by [4+2] cycloaddition followed by palladium catalysed cross coupling

Abstract 4-Bromo- and 4-trifluorosulfonyloxypyrrolo[3,4- c ]carbazoles were prepared in five steps via a [4+2] cyclo-addition and were used as key intermediates in palladium-catalysed cross coupling reactions allowing the rapid generation of structurally diverse protein kinase C inhibitors.