2-Furancarboxylic acids, 5-alkyl

The dianions derived from furan- and thiophene-carboxylic acids by deprotonation with LDA have been reacted with various electrophiles (Scheme 64). The oxygen dianions reacted efficiently with aldehydes and ketones but not so efficiently with alkyl halides or epoxides. The sulfur dianions reacted with allyl bromide, a reaction which failed in the case of the dianions derived from furancarboxylic acids, and are therefore judged to be the softer nucleophiles (81JCS(Pl)1125,80TL505l). 

The reaction of benzo-2-furancarboxylic acid with thiosemicarbazide under microwave conditions enables the use of an equivalent amount of phosphorus oxychloride and a short reaction time <2003SC2891 >. Moreover, solvent-free conditions are achieved when acidic alumina is used as dehydrating agent under microwave heating in the reaction of alkyl carboxylic acids with thiosemicarbazide <2000SC3031>. 

Ring opening is common in the alkali metal and liquid ammonia reduction of furans unless an anion stabilizing group is present, so most work has been done with derivatives of furancarboxylic acids. Treatment of furan-2-carboxylic acid with lithium and ammonia at -78 °C followed by rapid addition of ammonium chloride affords 2,5-dihydrofuran-2-carboxylic acid (80%). Reductive alkylation similarly gives 2-alkyl-2,5-dihydrofuran-2-carboxylic acids. This method has been used in a synthesis of rosefuran, the intermediate dihydrofuran (66) being converted into the product (67) by oxidative decarboxylation with... 

Alkylfurans are usually obtained by ring synthesis, decarboxylation of alkylfurancarboxy-lic acids, Wolff-Kishner reduction of aldehydes or ketones, or by reduction of halomethyl groups with zinc and acetic acid or LAH (79JOC3420) alkylation is of limited value. The chemistry of these compounds is conventional but oxidation to furancarboxylic acids cannot usually be carried out due to the lability of the ring. NBS bromination (Section 3.11.2.2.5) is a useful route to side-chain substituted compounds but reduction of esters to hydroxymethyl groups and subsequent transformation is often preferable. The haloalkyl compounds are extremely sensitive to resinification but if adequate precautions are taken they are... 

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