Boronic chalcone-derived

It is of interest to note in passing that In more recent work (ref.72), use has been made in synthesis of the transformation of chalcones to isoflavones with thallium(lll) nitrate. Thus, 6-acetyl-2,2-dimethyl-7-hydroxy-5-methoxychromanone was converted to the chalcone with 2,4-dibenzyloxybenzaldehyde. The O-acetyl derivative by treatment with the thallium reagent followed by acidic cyclisation gave a bischromanone structure. Selective reduction of the least hindered carbonyl group in the bischromanone, acidic dehydration of the resultant alcohol and final debenzylation with boron trichloride gave the linear isofiavone. 

Inexpensive di-, tri-, and tetramethoxyanthraquinones can be selectively dealkylated to hydroxymethoxyanthraquinones by the formation of difluoroboron chelates with BF3-OEt2 in benzene and subsequent hydrolysis with methanol. These un-symmetrically functionalized anthraquinone derivatives are useful intermediates for the synthesis of adriamycin, an antitumor agent. 2,4,6-Tiimethoxytoluene reacts with cinnamic acid and BF3-OEt2, with selective demethylation, to form a boron heterocycle which can be hydrolyzed to the chalcone aurentiacin (eq 34). 2 ... 

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