Pyrroles preparation from dicarbonyl compounds

Much more studied is the reaction of /8-dicarbonyl compounds with 2-amino-2-deoxyaldoses in particular, with 2-amino-2-deoxy-D-glu-cose (55), both in neutral and alkaline medium. In neutral methanol or aqueous acetone, 2-amino-2-deoxy-D-glucose reacts with 2,4-pen-tanedione to give52 54 3-acetyl-2-methyl-5-(D-arabino-tetrahydroxy-butyl)pyrrole (56a), and, with ethyl acetoacetate,55 the pyrrole 56b. Similar (tetrahydroxybutyl)pyrroles have been prepared from other /3-keto esters, such as ethyl 3-oxohexanoate, ethyl thiolacetoacetate, and diethyl 3-oxopentanedioate.53,56,56a... 

Potts and McKeough81 have recently obtained several interesting mesoionic azapentalenes 83, 84 by reaction of the appropriate 1,4-dicarbonyl compound with phosphorus pentasulfide. Compounds 83 and 84 can be written as dipolar structures, but participation of sulfur d-orbitals allows nonpolar forms to be envisaged. MO calculations neglecting rf-orbital participation predict the thieno[3,4-c]pyrrole system (84) to be very unstable.430 A related system 86 has been prepared by Japanese workers63 from the diamino-r-triazole (85) and sulfur dichloride. 

Dimethylaminonitroethylene is prepared from the anion of nitromethane and the salt prepaffed from dimethylformamide and dimethyl sulfate. The condensation step is general for other types of active methylene compounds, indicating further potential for pyrrole synthesis. A related process involves the condensation of ketones with the moao-N,N-dimethylhydrazone of glyoxal base-catalyzed condensation affords the hydrazones of a conjugated 1,4-dicarbonyl system, and sodium thiosulfate reduction then affords 2,3-disubstituted pyrroles (equation 85) (77CB491). 

Azaferrocene (206) has been prepared by the reaction of sodium pyrrole, cyclopentadienylsodium, and ferrous chloride,157 or better by the reaction of potassium pyrrole with cyclopentadienyliron dicarbonyl iodide.158 It has been found159 that dioxane is a better solvent than benzene for this latter reaction. This reaction has also been applied to 2,4- and 2,5-dimethylpyrrole,158 3-acetyl-2-methyl-and 3-acetyl-2,4-dimethylpyrrole,160 and 2-methylpyrrole.159 The 2-methylazaferrocene from this latter pyrrole has been resolved with (—)6,6 -dinitrodiphenic acid.159 A compound (207) believed to be an intermediate in the formation of azaferrocenes has been isolated.161... 

A route to pyrroles illustrated by the preparation of 292 involves initial treatment of the nitroketene-5, 5 -acetal 293 with an organometallic reagent, followed by conversion of the resulting alkene 294 to the enamine 295, and final annulation to the target heterocycle (Scheme 34) <1998T12973>. A related approach featuring constmction of /3-hydroxyenamines from 1,3-dicarbonyl compounds and /3-amino alcohols, and subsequent palladium-catalyzed cyclization to pyrroles, has been reported <1996TL9203>. 

A synthesis of a set of 2-pyridylpyrroles has been described, involving annulation of 1,3-dicarbonyl compounds with 2-(aminomethyl)pyridine under acidic conditions, as illustrated by the construction of compound 437 (Equation 121) <20020L435>. Likewise, pyrroles have also been obtained from reactions between 1,3-diaryl-l,3-dicarbonyl compounds and imines or oximes promoted by the TiCU/Zn-system <2004SL2239>. Yet another approach involves rhodium-catalyzed reactions of isonitriles with 1,3-dicarbonyl synthons, which enables for instance preparation of fluorinated pyrroles <20010L421>. 

The ring synthesis of five-membered heterocycles has been extensively investigated, and many and subtle methods have been devised. Each of these three heterocyclic systems can be prepared from 1,4-dicarbonyl-compounds, for furans by acid-catalysed cyclising dehydration, and for pyrroles and thiophenes by interaction with ammonia or a primary amine, or a source of sulfur, respectively. 

The Knorr pyrrole synthesis was also employed for the synthesis of 3-trifluoropyrroles [91]. Treatment of ethyl trifluoroacetoacetate 267 with sodium nitrite in acetic acid led to the oxime 268. Refluxing with zinc dust and addition of 1,3-dicarbonyl compounds 269 afforded the 3-trifluoromethylpyrroles 270 in moderate yields. Using more acidic trifluoroacetic acid allowed to lower the reaction temperature to 70 °C [92]. Using a similar approach, the tricarboxylic acid ester 273 was prepared starting from the acetone dicarboxylic acid ester 271 and the fluorinated keto ester 272 [93]. 

Pyrroles furans and thiophenes are prepared from y-dicarbonyl compounds... 

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