1.  Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a 7-bromo-.beta.-carboline compound and a method for producing the same.  More particularly, the present invention relates to a 7-bromo-.beta.-carboline compound which is usable as an intermediate of alkaloid compounds, for example, indol alkaloid compounds having a 6-bromoindol structure, and useful as medicines and pesticides. 
2.  Description of the Related Art
The 7-bromo-.beta.-carboline compounds of the present invention are novel, and thus the method of the present invention for producing the same is also novel and cannot be known from the prior art. 
In view of the chemical structure of the 7-bromo-.beta.-carboline compound, it is assumed that the compound could be produced by, for example, condensing a 6-bromotryptamine compound with an .alpha.-ketoacid ester.  However, the preparation of the 6-bromotryptamine compound is very difficult and cannot be produced by a mere conventional bromination of the corresponding tryptamine compound.  When a .beta.-carboline compound in which the amino group in a 2-position is not protected by a protecting substituent, is brominated, mainly, a bromine atom is introduced into the 6-position to produce a 6-bromo-.beta.-carboline, but not into a 7-position. 
Accordingly, the 7-bromo-.beta.-carboline compound of the present invention was not known before the present invention and is produced for the first time by the method of the present invention.