2-Methyl-substituted benzo thiophenes

The [2 + 2] photodimerization of a, j8-unsaturated sulfones is correctly viewed as a photoreaction of alkenes, rather than the sulfone group, and this aspect has been reviewed recently by Reid, as part of a wider survey of the photoreaction of O- and S-heterocycles. The topic continues to attract considerable interest and a few recent examples, as well as some synthetic applications, will be discussed here. Much of the photodimerization work has been carried out on the benzo[fc]thiophene (thianaphthene) 1,1-dioxide system. For example. Porter and coworkers have shown that both 3-carboxybenzo[i]thiophene 1,1-dioxide (65) and its methyl ester give only the head-to-head (hth), anti dimer (66) on irradiation in ethanol. In a rather unusual finding for such systems, the same dimer was obtained on thermal dimerization of 65. Similar findings for a much wider variety of 3-substituted benzo[fi]thiophene 1,1-dioxides have been reported more recently by Geneste and coworkers . In the 2-substituted analogs, the hth dimer is accompanied by some of the head-to-tail (htt), anti dimer. The formation of the major dimer appears to proceed by way of an excited triplet and the regiochemistry observed is in accord with frontier MO theory. 

Methyl- and 2-aryl-substituted benzo[fc]thiophenes (26) can be synthesized starting from o-toluenethiol in three steps, which involves the intramolecular addition of thiols, produced by acid hydrolysis, to the carbonyl group followed by dehydration as the final step (Scheme 3) (91JHC173). 

While ortho- or para -substituted arylthio methyl ketones form 7- or 5-substituted benzo[6 ]thiophenes, respectively, meta -substituted arylthio methyl ketones give mixtures of 4- and 6-substituted benzo[6 ]thiophenes. The relative amounts of these isomers depend on the nature of the substituent to some extent. Cyclization of the pyruvic acid derivative... 

Tetrahydrobenzo[6]thiophen-4-one (103) may be prepared from y-(2-thienyl)butyric acid by cyclization with phosphoric acid854 or by Friedel-Crafts cyclization of the corresponding acid chloride.194, 355.358 j s 5-methyl,357 2-ethyl,194 2-isopropyl,358 2- and 3-tert-butyl,359 2,3-dimethyl,360 2-ethyl-3-methyl,360 and 2-bromo 354 derivatives and diethyl 4,5,6,7-tetrahydrobenzo[6]thiophene-4,5-di-carboxylate861 may be prepared similarly. 4,5,6,7-Tetrahydrobenzo-[6]thiophen-7-one (104)357 362,863 and its 5- and 6-methyl 357 and 2-chloro 362 derivatives are obtained from the appropriately substituted y-(3-thienyl)butyric acid, A recent patent 364 describes the vapor phase cyclization of y-(2-thienyl)butyric acid to 103. Ketones (103 and 104) are useful intermediates for the synthesis of 4- and 7-substituted benzo[6]thiophenes, respectively their reactions are discussed in Section VI, B, 4. 

Photoirradiation of 158e in the presence of iodine affords the benzo[6]naphtho[2,l-d]thiophene (159) 158a-d similarly give the appropriate methyl-substituted compounds.465 With ethyl diazo-... 

A number of examples of photoaddition to alkynes has been described. Dimethyl acetylenedicarboxylate has been found to add to methyl-substituted 3-benzoylthiophens301 and to thiophen and 2,5-dimethylthiophen302 on irradiation. Benzo[f>]thiophen also undergoes cycloaddition reactions with alkynes,303 and in the case of dimethylacetylene dicarboxylate, product formation has been shown to be wavelength dependent.304 Intramolecular [ 2 -(- 2] cycloaddition has been observed on both direct and triplet-sensitized irradiation of the alkyne (353) and gives the cyclobutene (354)305 the isomer (355) is formed on prolonged irradiation. 

The formation of naphtho[6c]thiophene-3-ones 106 takes place on acylation of 2-substituted benzo[b]thiophenes 103 with cinnamoyl chloride (78AP710, 78LA627 79LA965). Interestingly, the aromatization of the intermediate 105 occurs with elimination of benzene. Chalcone 104 also may be obtained on acetylation of benzo[fe]thiophene 103, followed by condensation of benzaldehyde with the methyl group of the 3-acetylbenzo[b]thiophene intermediate (79LA965). 

The direct combination of selenium and acetylene provides the most convenient source of selenophene (76JHC1319). Lesser amounts of many other compounds are formed concurrently and include 2- and 3-alkylselenophenes, benzo[6]selenophene and isomeric selenoloselenophenes (76CS(10)159). The commercial availability of thiophene makes comparable reactions of little interest for the obtention of the parent heterocycle in the laboratory. However, the reaction of substituted acetylenes with morpholinyl disulfide is of some synthetic value. The process, which appears to entail the initial formation of thionitroxyl radicals, converts phenylacetylene into a 3 1 mixture of 2,4- and 2,5-diphenylthiophene, methyl propiolate into dimethyl thiophene-2,5-dicarboxylate, and ethyl phenylpropiolate into diethyl 3,4-diphenylthiophene-2,5-dicarboxylate (Scheme 83a) (77TL3413). Dimethyl thiophene-2,4-dicarboxylate is obtained from methyl propiolate by treatment with dimethyl sulfoxide and thionyl chloride (Scheme 83b) (66CB1558). The rhodium carbonyl catalyzed carbonylation of alkynes in alcohols provides 5-alkoxy-2(5//)-furanones (Scheme 83c) (81CL993). The inclusion of ethylene provides 5-ethyl-2(5//)-furanones instead (82NKK242). The nickel acetate catalyzed addition of r-butyl isocyanide to alkynes provides access to 2-aminopyrroles (Scheme 83d) (70S593). 

Benzo[6]thiophene, 2-(aryloxymethyl)-3-chloromethyl-synthesis, 4, 872 Benzo[6]thiophene, 2-arylthio-synthesis, 4, 931 Benzo[6]thiophene, 2-bromo-reaction with potassamide, 4, 829-830 synthesis, 4, 934 Benzo[6]thiophene, 3-bromo-Grignard reagents, 4, 831 reactions, 4, 830 synthesis, 4, 934 Benzo[6]thiophene, 4-bromo-synthesis, 4, 878, 934 Benzo[6]thiophene, 5-bromo-electrophilic substitution, 4, 797 Benzo[6]thiophene, 6-bromo-synthesis, 4, 878, 934 Benzo[6]thiophene, 5-t-buty 1-3-methyl-synthesis, 4, 880... 

Benzo[6]thiophene, 7-chloro-3-methyl-electrophilic substitution, 4, 798... 

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