Heterocyclic Analogues of Carbazole Alkaloids

Carbazole containing alkaloids (e.g. ellipticine and related compounds, indolocarbazoles......) have caught the attention of the chemists and biochemists due to their biological activities (antitumor, antiviral, protein kinase inhibitors......). Numerous total syntheses of the natural compounds have been effected as well as structural modifications for annulating various heterocyclic systems to the carbazole. Interest in these modifications lays in the possible changes in biological activities. This review will present some of the aspects of the chemistry developped recently to introduce such modifications.