Furan occurrence

Methyl-5-aminothia2ole-4-carboxylic acid is diazotized with isoamyl nitrite in the presence of furan in 1.2-dichloroethane to give a mixture of products 163 (53%), 164 (33%). 165 (11%), and 166 (3%) (Scheme 104) (334). This reactivity experiment was carried out to examine the possibility of the occurrence of 4,5-dehydrothiazole (hetaryne). Hetaryne intermediates seem not to be involved as an intermediate in the reaction. The formation of 163 through 166 can be rationalized in terms of the intermediacy of 166a. 

Stoicescu and Dimonie103 studied the polymerization of 2-vinylfuran with iodine in methylene chloride between 20 and 50 °C. The time-conversion curves were not analysed for internal orders but external orders with respect to catalyst and monomer were both unity. Together with an overall activation energy of 2.5 kcal/mole for the polymerization process, these were the only data obtained. Observations about the low DP s of the products, their dark colour, their lack of bound iodine and the presence of furan rings in the oligomers, inferred by infrared spectra (not reported), completed the experimental evidence. The authors proposed a linear, vinylic structure for the polymer, and a true cationic mechanism for its formation and discussed the occurrence of an initial charge-transfer complex on the... 

Of course, these conclusions do not rule out completely the occurrence of other reactions such as those listed above, but their contribution to the overall mechanism must be very small in the production of the oligomers. The dark colour of these products was attributed to hydride transfer reactions, similar in nature to those encountered in the cationic polymerization of 2-vinyl furan [see Section III-B-l-c)]. The subsequent process which transforms these oligomers into cross-linked resins was not investigated. 

Radialene 89, a dimer of 1,2,3-cyclooctatriene derivative 88, was isolated when the [10](9,10)anlhracenophanc-4,6-diyne 87 was exposed to sunlight62. In this case, the intermediate occurrence of 88 could not only be substantiated by isolation of (4 + 2) cycloadducts in the presence of furan or cyclopentadiene, but also by a IJV/Vis spectrum obtained at 77 K in an organic glass. 

Carbazole alkaloids condensed to a furan ring represent a relatively new class of natural products. Until now, only four, natural furocarbazoie alkaloids were isolated. Recently, we summarized the occurrence, biological activities, and total synthesis of these heteroarylcarbazoles (175,176). 

Polychlorinated Dibenzo-(p)-Dioxins and Dibenzo-Furans. Another group of compounds that we need to specifically address are the polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs) and dibenzo-furans (PCDFs) (Fig. 2.15). The PCDDs and PCDFs are not intentionally produced but are released into the environment from various combustion processes and as a result of their occurrence as unwanted byproducts in various chlorinated chemical formulations (e.g., chlorinated phenols, chlorinated phenoxy herbicides see Alcock and Jones, 1996). Because some of the PCDD and PCDF congeners are very toxic (e.g., 2,3,7,8-tetrachloro dibenzo-p-dioxin, see margin), there have been and still are considerable efforts to assess their sources, distribution, and fate in the environment. Similarly to the PCBs or DDT (see above), the PCDDs and PCDFs are highly hydrophobic and very persistent in the environment. It is therefore not surprising that they have also been detected everywhere on earth (Brzuzy and Hites, 1996 Lohmann and Jones, 1998 Vallack et al., 1998). Finally, we should note that polybrominated diphenylethers (PBDEs, see margin) that, like the PBBs (see above), are used as flame retardants, are of increasing environmental concern (de Boer et al., 2000). 

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