Synthesis of antileishmanial (5R)-(-)-5-Carbomethoxy-3-formyl-5,6- dihydroindolo-[2,3-a]-indolizine

Abstract

Synthesis of 5-carbomethoxy-3-formyl-5,6-dihydroindolo-[2,3-a]indolizines (10 and 12) and 6-carbomethoxy-3-hydroxy-6,7-dihydroindolo[2,3-a]quinolizinium sulphates (11 and 13) have been achieved. Interestingly, the compound (5R)-(-)-5-carbomethoxy-3-formyl-5,6-dihydroindolo[2,3-a]indolizine (10) intercalated mannose-grafted microspheres was found to be an effective drug, whereas its optical antipode 12 showed no activity at all, against parasite, Leishmania donovani strain AG83 in hamsters model both in-vitro and in-vivo.