Room-temperature aromatization of tetrahydro-β-carbolines by 2-iodoxybenzoic acid: utility in a total synthesis of eudistomin U

2-Iodoxybenzoic acid is a convenient reagent for the dehydrogenation of tetrahydro-β-carbolines to their aromatic forms under mild conditions. The utility of the method was demonstrated in a total synthesis of the marine indole alkaloid eudistomin U.