2-Lithio-3-methylthiophene

A novel method for preparing amino heterocycles is illustrated by the preparation of 2-amino-5-methylthiophene (159). In this approach vinyl azides act as NH2 equivalents in reaction with aromatic or heteroaromatic lithium derivatives (82TL699). A further variant for the preparation of amino heterocycles is by azide reduction the latter compounds are obtained by reaction of lithio derivatives with p- toluenesulfonyl azide and decomposition of the resulting lithium salt with tetrasodium pyrophosphate (Scheme 66) (82JOC3177). 

Synthetic routes that access appropriately substituted thienobenzazepines are also quite important for medicinal chemistry stracture activity relationship studies, and many involve similar bond connectivity strategies. One notable example employs the use of conunercially available 4-methyl-3-nitrophenol (Scheme 6.3). Methylation of the phenol followed by bromination, hydrolysis, and oxidation of the benzylic alcohol afforded aldehyde 9 in quantitative yield. Treatment of this aldehyde with 5-lithio-2-methylthiophene provided, after dehydroxylation, nitro intermediate A in good overall yield. Reduction of the nitro functionality and treatment with phosgene presented the corresponding isocyanide which upon cychzation using aluminum trichloride in a Friedel-Crafts fashion afforded the... 

Lithiation of 3-methylthiophene with lithium 2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidide is reported to be highly selective, giving the 5-lithio derivative <2007JOC1031>. 

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