The chemistry of indoles. CIII. Simple syntheses of serotonin, N-methylserotonin, bufotenine, 5-methoxy-N-methyltryptamine, bufobutanoic acid, N-(indol-3-yl)methyl-5-methoxy-N-methyltryptamine, and lespedamine based on 1-hydroxyindole chemistry.

Application of regioselective nucleophilic substitution reactions of 1-hydroxytryptamines to novel and simple syntheses of serotonin (1a), N-methylserotonin (1b), bufotenine (1c), 5-methoxy-N-methyltryptamine (2a), bufobutanoic acid (3a), N-(indol-3-yl)methyl-5-methoxy-N-methyltryptamine (4), and lespedamine (5) are described. Effective syntheses of 5-benzyloxytryptamine and 1-methoxy-2-oxindoles are also reported.