Benzofurans alkylation

Preparation of thiadiazoles via the Hurd-Mori cyclization has led to the synthesis of a variety of biologically active and functionally useful compounds. Discussion of reactions prior to 1998 on the preparation of thiadiazoles have been compiled in a review by Stanetty et al Recent syntheses of thiadiazoles as intermediates for useful transformations to other heterocycles have appeared. For example, the thiadiazole intermediate 36 was prepared from the hydrazone 35 and converted to benzofuran upon treatment with base. Similarly, the thiadiazole acid chloride 38 was converted to the hydrazine 39 which, upon base treatment, provided the pyrazolone, which can be sequentially alkylated in situ to provide the product 40. ... 

Synthesis of 2-alkyl- or 2-aryl-substituted benzo[b]furans has been reported, involving a CuITMEDA complex which catalyzes the transformation of readily available ketone derivatives into the corresponding benzofurans in good-to-excellent yields in water (Eq. 6.13).29... 

Rhodococcus sp. Strain WU-K2R A Rhodococcus strain capable of sulfur-specific desulfurization of benzothiophene, naphthothiophene (NT), and some of their alkyl derivatives was reported [35]. The metabolites of BT desulfurization were BT sulfone, benzo[c][l,2]oxanthiin S-oxide, benzo[c][l,2]oxanthiin S,S-dioxide, o-hydroxystyrene, 2,(2 -hydroxyphenyl)ethan-l-al, and benzofuran. The NT metabolites were NT sulfone, 2 -hydroxynaphthyl ethene, and naphtho[2,l-b]furan [35], The exact biochemical pathway was not determined, however, part of the pathway for BT desulfurization was speculated to be similar to Paenibacillus All-2. 

Other electrophilic substitution reactions on aromatic and heteroaromatic systems are summarized in Scheme 6.143. Friedel-Crafts alkylation of N,N-dimethyl-aniline with squaric acid dichloride was accomplished by heating the two components in dichloromethane at 120 °C in the absence of a Lewis acid catalyst to provide a 23% yield of the 2-aryl-l-chlorocydobut-l-ene-3,4-dione product (Scheme 6.143 a) [281]. Hydrolysis of the monochloride provided a 2-aryl-l-hydroxycyclobut-l-ene-3,4-dione, an inhibitor of protein tyrosine phosphatases [281], Formylation of 4-chloro-3-nitrophenol with hexamethylenetetramine and trifluoroacetic acid (TFA) at 115 °C for 5 h furnished the corresponding benzaldehyde in 43% yield, which was further manipulated into a benzofuran derivative (Scheme 6.143b) [282]. 4-Chloro-5-bromo-pyrazolopyrimidine is an important intermediate in the synthesis of pyrazolopyrimi-dine derivatives showing activity against multiple kinase subfamilies (see also Scheme 6.20) and can be rapidly prepared from 4-chloropyrazolopyrimidine and N-bromosuccinimide (NBS) by microwave irradiation in acetonitrile (Scheme... 

Concerning the arene-catalyzed lithiation of 4-77-chromene 386, the process is not of synthetic interest as compared to the same process applied to 2,3-benzofuran 348 because both alkyl-and aryl-oxygen cleavage took place using DTBB (5%) as the electron-carrier... 

Ebel s method is an adaptation of the Stoermer synthesis of benzo-[h]furans and involves the 0-alkylation of a phenolate anion (229, Scheme 58) with a 2-halocyclohexanone (230). The resultant 2-phenoxycyclo-hexanone 231 is then cyclized by poly phosphoric acid, usually at 100°C, or sometimes by concentrated sulfuric acid, to afford a 1,2,3,4-tetrahydrodi-benzofuran (232). Dehydrogenation to the dibenzofuran is often effected with palladized charcoal, but 2,3-dichloro-5,6-dicyano-l,4-benzoquinone ... 

The carbamates formed from 2-hydroxychalcones and alkyl or aryl isocyanates readily cyclize to 3,4-dihydro-l,3-benzoxazin-2-one derivatives <1996CHEC-II(6)301>. When hydroxychalcones 318 with a benzofuran moiety were heated under reflux with phenyl isocyanate in benzene in the presence of a catalytic amount of potassium hydroxide, l,3-benzoxazin-2-one derivatives 320 were formed through the intermediate open-chain carbamates 319 (Scheme 61) <2006JHC437>. 

A synthesis of the [l]benzothieno[3,2- ][l]benzofuran 63 based on the formation of the furan ring in the key step was elaborated. Alkylation of methyl 2-sulfanylbenzoate 349 with 2-hydroxybenzylalcohol 348 was effected with freshly prepared Znl2 in CH2CI2 and 350 was obtained. Cyclization with lithium diisopropylamide (LDA) in THF afforded 351, which on subsequent cyclodehydration with polyphosphoric acid (PPA) gave 63 in moderate yield (Scheme 36) <2000CCC1939>. 

Reaction of the imidazole (7-4) with the benzofuran derivative (6-7) leads to the displacement of the benzylic halogen and the formation of the alkylation product (8-1). Treatment of that intermediate with trifluoroacetic acid breaks open the urethane to afford the corresponding free amine. This is allowed to react with ttiflic anhydride to afford the trifluoromethyl sulfonamide (8-2). The ester group on the imdidazole is then saponified, and the newly formed acid is reacted with carbonyl diimidazole. Reaction with ammonia converts the activated carboxyl group to the amide. There is thus obtained the angiotensin antagonist saprisartan (8-3) [6]. 

Benzofuran derivatives are rare in petroleum, where sulfurated heterocycles predominate among heterocyclic compounds. Benzofurans and 2,3-dihydrobenzofurans are found, however, in the 200°-270° fraction of the distillate of California crude oil, with dibenzofurans and naphthobenzofurans.123 Alkyl-dibenzofurans have been traced in the 275°-305° fraction of petroleum with alkylnaphthalenes, 4-methyl-dibenzofuran among others.124 The distillation of humic acids with zinc powder is said to give benzofuran and hydrobenzofuran derivatives.125... 

Numerous derivatives of (1) have been thus prepared, notably 2,3-dimethyl (or dialkyl)benzofurans Bz-substituted by alkyl radicals,36,213-218 methoxyl groups,101,219-221 halogen atoms,217,222-224 aryl groups,225 acetyl groups,215,218,226 formyl groups,222,226 and carboxyl groups.226,227 The method is especially valuable in the case of formyl derivatives, which are difficult to obtain otherwise. 

Various 3-methylcoumarilic acids substituted in the benzene ring by alkyl or methoxyl groups have been thus prepared, then decarboxylated to the corresponding benzofurans,10 208 e.g., 3-methyl-4,7-dimethoxy-benzofuran 2-naphthol233 leads to 3-methylnaphtho[2,l-6]furan (79), guaiacol to ethyl 7-methoxy-3-methyl coumarilate.234... 

These methods utilize molecules of type B (p. 362) (=104) a. Synthesis of Benzofurans by Thermal Ring Closure and Cyclodehydrogenation (Thermal, Catalytic or Photochemical) of o-Substituted Phenols. The Hansch Reaction. o-Alkylhydroxy-compounds on heating with a suitable catalyst give either a benzofuran or a 2,3-dihydrobenzo-furan with the same number of carbon atoms.285-292 Side products are formed by decomposition of the starting material. The initial phenol can be o-alkylated and ring-closed in one stage. 

The Niki reaction474 (alkylation of dimedone by l,4-dibromo-2-methyl-2-butene, with formation of compound 218), applied to phloro-acetophenone and to 3-isopentyl-2,4,6-trihydroxyisobutyrophenone, leads respectively to 2,3-dihydrobenzofurans 219a and 219b. Furan 219b with toluene- >-sulfonic acid rearranges to the benzofuran 220b.475... 

Reaction of Grignard reagents on 3(2H)- and 2(3/7)-benzofuranones yields 3-alkyl, 2-aryl (and 2,3-diaryl)benzofurans. A number of 3-substituted benzofuran derivatives result from the reaction of Grignard reagents on 3(2H)-benzofuranones.239,276 The method has also been applied in the naphtho[2,3-6] series.685 Substituted 2,3-diphenylbenzo-furans (352) have been obtained in the same way from 3-phenyl-2(3//)-benzofuranones (350) by dehydration (in boiling AcOH) of the intermediate hemiacetals (351).762,763... 

Benzofuran-3(2/f)-ones (396) exist in the keto form but undergo ready enolization. Acetylation with acetic anhydride and sodium acetate affords 3-acetoxybenzo[6]furans, but reaction under acidic conditions usually supplies these products admixed with 3-acetoxy-2-acetylbenzo[6]furans. Alkylation usually furnishes a mixture of O- and C-alkylated products. 3-Acetoxy-6-methoxy-4-methylbenzo[6]furan, on Vilsmeier reaction, supplies the 3-chlorobenzo[6]furan-2-carbaldehyde, the product expected from an enolizable ketone (72AJC545). Benzofuran-3(2//)-ones react normally with carbonyl reagents. Grignard reagents react in the expected way and dehydration of the intermediate affords a 3-substituted benzo[6]furan. The methylene group is reactive so that self condensation, condensation with aldehydes and ketones and reaction with Michael acceptors all occur readily. 

Triflic acid is also efficient in the alkylation of electron-rich aromatics (anisole, 1,3-dimethoxybenzene, 2-methylfurane, pyrrole, benzofurane, indole) with secondary benzylic alcohols and 3-phenylallyl alcohols (50°C, 1-9 h, 66-95% yield).201 Benzene, toluene, and halobenzenes are also alkylated with hydroxy-biindantetraone 53 in triflic acid within 1-2h202 [Eq. (5.78)]. Suprisingly, however, the primary products (with the exception of the 4-methylphenyl-substituted compound) undergo rearrangement upon prolonged treatment to yield alkenes... 

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