Furans synthesis, ethyl acetate

The final variation of the Feist-Benary furan synthesis encompasses reactions of 1,3-dicarbonyls with 1,2-dibromoethyl acetate (52). For example, treatment of ethyl acetoacetate (9) with sodium hydride followed by addition of 52 at 50°C yields dihydrofuran 53. The product can be easily converted into the corresponding 2-methyl-3-furoate upon acid catalyzed elimination of the acetate, thus providing another strategy for the synthesis of 2,3-disubstituted furans. 

The reactions of heteroaromatic compounds such as furans, pyrroles, and indoles with alkynoates proceed under very mild conditions (in acetic acid or even in neutral solvents such as CH2C12 at room temperature). For example, the reaction of pyrrole with ethyl phenylpropiolate gives the 2-alkenylated pyrrole (Equation (44)).47c This reaction is applied to the direct synthesis of a /3-alkenylpyrrole, the pyrrole fragment of haemin (Equation (45)).47d The present reaction provides a very convenient method for functionalization of arenes and heteroarenes. 

As depicted in Equation (68), anodic fluorination of ethyl 3-benzo[4]furanyl acetate was applied to the synthesis of a 2,3-difluoro-2,3-dihydrobenzo[/ ]furan derivative. A 2-fluoro-3-hydroxyl derivative was also obtained as a minor product <2003SL1631>. 

An interesting application of the Fujiwara-Moritani/oxidative Heck reaction for the synthesis of benzo furans was recently reported by the Stoltz lab [31]. A variety of allyl phenyl ethers (all containing electron-rich aryl components) react with 10 mol% palladium acetate, 20 mol% ethyl nicotinate, 20 mol% sodium acetate, and one equivalent of benzoquinone at 100°C to provide benzofurans in 52-79% yield (e.g. 16—>17). The mechanism of this transformation begins with arene palladation of Pd(II) followed by olefin insertion, p-hydrogen elimination, and olefin isomerization to the thermodynamically favored benzofuran product. The resulting Pd(0) species is then oxidized to Pd(ll) thus regenerating the active catalyst. 

SYNTHESIS OF FURANS VIA RHODIUM(II) ACETATE-CATALYZED REACTION OF ACETYLENES WITH a-DIAZOCARBONYLS ETHYL 2-METHYL-5-PHENYL-3-FURANCARBOXYLATE (3-Furancarboxyllc acid, 2-methyl-5-phenyl>, ethyl ester)... 

Desulfurization of petroleum feedstock (FBR), catalytic cracking (MBR or FI BR), hydrodewaxing (FBR), steam reforming of methane or naphtha (FBR), water-gas shift (CO conversion) reaction (FBR-A), ammonia synthesis (FBR-A), methanol from synthesis gas (FBR), oxidation of sulfur dioxide (FBR-A), isomerization of xylenes (FBR-A), catalytic reforming of naphtha (FBR-A), reduction of nitrobenzene to aniline (FBR), butadiene from n-butanes (FBR-A), ethylbenzene by alkylation of benzene (FBR), dehydrogenation of ethylbenzene to styrene (FBR), methyl ethyl ketone from sec-butyl alcohol (by dehydrogenation) (FBR), formaldehyde from methanol (FBR), disproportionation of toluene (FBR-A), dehydration of ethanol (FBR-A), dimethylaniline from aniline and methanol (FBR), vinyl chloride from acetone (FBR), vinyl acetate from acetylene and acetic acid (FBR), phosgene from carbon monoxide (FBR), dichloroethane by oxichlorination of ethylene (FBR), oxidation of ethylene to ethylene oxide (FBR), oxidation of benzene to maleic anhydride (FBR), oxidation of toluene to benzaldehyde (FBR), phthalic anhydride from o-xylene (FBR), furane from butadiene (FBR), acrylonitrile by ammoxidation of propylene (FI BR)... 

Access to a 1,4-dicarbonyl substrate has been realised in several ways. Examples include alkylation of imines with 2-alkoxy-allyl halides (equivalents of 2-halo-ketones),addition of /3-ketoester anions to nitroalkenes, followed by Nef reaction,and rhodium-catalysed carbonylation of 2-substituted acrolein acetals. The dialdehyde (as a mono-acetal) necessary for a synthesis of diethyl furan-3,4-dicarboxylate was obtained by two successive Claisen condensations between diethyl succinate and ethyl formate, as shown in the sequence below. 

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