Pyrrole, acylation Mannich reactions

Pyrrole-containing thiourea derivatives 52 and 53 were developed and optimized for hydrogen-bonding activation of N-acyliminium ions [76] in the acyl-Pictet-Spengler [202, 205] (Schemes 6.50 and 52) and acyl-Mannich reaction [204] (Scheme 6.51). List et al. extended the applicability of this thiourea type to... 

Frontier orbital theory predicts that electrophilic substitution of pyrroles with soft electrophiles will be frontier controlled and occur at the 2-position, whereas electrophilic substitution with hard electrophiles will be charge controlled and occur at the 3-position. These predictions may be illustrated by the substitution behaviour of 1-benzenesulfonylpyr-role. Nitration and Friedel-Crafts acylation of this substrate occurs at the 3-position, whereas the softer electrophiles generated in the Mannich reaction (R2N=CH2), in formylation under Vilsmeier conditions (R2N=CHC1) or in formylation with dichloromethyl methyl ether and aluminum chloride (MeO=CHCl) effect substitution mainly in the 2-position (81TL4899, 81TL4901). Formylation of 2-methoxycarbonyl-l-methylpyrrole with... 

We still have to make the pyrrole with the alkyl side chain for this acylation reaction. Friedel-Crafts alkylation is not an option but pyrroles are reactive enough to do the Mannich reaction. Formaldehyde and an amine combine to give another iminium salt 107 that reacts with A-methyl pyrrole to give, after rearomatisation 109 the substituted pyrrole 110. 

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