Expedious and practical synthesis of the bioactive alkaloids rutaecarpine, euxylophoricine A, deoxyvasicinone and their heterocyclic homologues

Fused pyrimido-β-carbolines including rutaecarpine, euxylophoricine A, and deoxyvasicinone were synthesized efficiently from cyclic imino-thioethers and aromatic amino acids or the corresponding amino esters in a one-pot procedure.