Annulated 1,2,3,4-tetrahydro-β-carbolines by intramolecular Mannich-type amino- and amidoalkylations of N(9)-(ω-nitroalkyl)-3,4-dihydro-β-carbolines

2-[1-(ω-Nitroalkyl)-1H-indol-3-yl]ethylformamides 11 were transformed to the corresponding 9-(ω-nitroalkyl)-4,9-dihydro-3H-β-carbolines 5 and through a diastereoselective intramolecular aminoalkylation to the annulated tetrahydro-β-carbolines 13, in high yields. Intramolecular N-acyliminium cyclisation of compounds 5 afforded the tetracyclic diazacycloalkano[jk]fluorenes in two diastereoisomeric forms 18 and 19 with moderate selectivity. Conjugate addition reactions performed on compounds 18 and 19 led to pentacyclic indolo[3,2,1-de]pyrido[3,2,1-jk]naphthyridinone 26a or diazabenzo[a]naphtho[2,1,8-cde]azulenone 26b.