• Photooxygenation with singlet oxygen, followed by reduction of the expected hydroperoxide to the allylic alcohol, is accompanied by ring contraction to a spiro ketone. The same product is formed in high yield on treatment of the spiroketone with mineral acid: J. Org. Chem., 61, 810 (1996):
• Deprotonation with excess superbasic n-BuLi/KO-t-Bu to give the N,ɑ-dianion has been studied in a variety of ether solvents. Formation of substantial amounts of the ɑ-ethyl derivative was observed with Et2O and THF, and also, remarkably, with various alkyl methyl ethers; e.g. in n-BuOMe, the ɑ-ethyl product was obtained in 60% yield. The ethyl group originates from the interaction of the solvent with the strong base, confirmed by the detection of ethylene in the absence of the tetrahydrocarbazole substrate: J. Org. Chem., 60, 8334 (1995). ɑ-Ethylation also occurred with 2-ethylindole, but not with 2-methyl- or 2-isopropyl analogues.