Kawaken Fine Chemicals Co., Ltd.

Kazuhiro Okura

Masaaki Kubo

Hiroshi Umezawa

A 7-bromo-.beta.-carboline compound of the formula (I): ##STR1## wherein R.sup.1 =H or C.sub.1 -C.sub.5 alkyl and R.sup.2 =C.sub.1 -C.sub.5 alkyl or benzyl, is produced by reacting a .beta.-carboline compound of the formula (II): ##STR2## wherein R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 are as defined above and R.sup.3 =H, C.sub.1 -C.sub.5 alkyl, C.sub.1 -C.sub.5 alkoxy or benzyloxy, with a brominating agent in an organic solvent in the presence of an alkalic and then hydrolyzing the resultant procursory 7-bromo-.beta.-carboline compound of the formula (III): ##STR3## is a solvent in the presence of a mineral acid.

7-bromo-beta-carboline compound and method for producing same

A 5-bromo-1-pentanal compound of the formula (I): ##STR1## wherein R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 respectively represent, independently from each other, a member selected from the group consisting of a hydrogen atom and alkyl radicals having 1 to 7 carbon atoms, or an acetal derivative of said 5-bromo-1-pentanal compound, is produced by subjecting a starting compound selected from the group consisting of 4-pentenal compounds of the formula (II): ##STR2## wherein R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 are as defined above, and acetal derivatives of the above-mentioned compounds, to a free radical addition reaction with hydrogen bromide in a liquid medium at a temperature of 10.degree. C. to 60.degree. C.; in the presence of a free radical initiator or by irradiating ultraviolet rays to the reaction mixture, and by collecting the resultant reaction product from the reaction mixture.

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Kawagoe, Japan

Kazuhiro Okura