Lithiation benzo fused heterocycles

The direct lithiation of benzo fused heterocyclic systems in the benzo ring is often less easy than in the heterocyclic ring or even at a substituent phenyl group. Thus, while A7-phenyl indole undergoes lithiation at both the 2- and the 2 -positions, /3-lithiation at the 7-position does not occur. The first observation of lithiation at the 7-position of an indole derivative was seen with tricarbonyl(T7 -l-methyl-2-trimethylsilylindole)chromium(0) 26, even though the major site of reaction was at C-4 (Scheme 28)... 

The intramolecular trapping of benzyne intermediates with tethered nucleophiles is a powerful strategy for the synthesis of benzo-fused heterocycles. In this field, 7-functionalized benzoxazoles 59 and benzothiazoles 60 have been prepared by anionic cyclization of the corresponding lithiated benzyne (thio)amides and (thio)carbamates, which were generated from 3-haloaniline derivatives (Scheme 12.34) [55]. Related to this, substituted indolines 61 have also been accessed by benzyne-mediated cyclization-functionalization from Boc-protected (2-bromo-4-methoxy)phenetylamines using Mg(TMP)2 2LiCl as a base. This methodology has also been applied to the preparation of functionalized carbazoles (Scheme 12.34) [56]. 

Although a limited range of Grignard reagents is available, the most widely used group is undoubtedly the lithio group introduced by direct lithiation (see Section 3.3.1.6.2). The ready formation of the lithio derivatives of pyrroles, furans and thiophenes and their benzo-fused derivatives has had a most important impact on the chemistry of these heterocyclic systems. Reaction of the... 

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