Facile synthesis of regio-isomeric naphthofurans and benzodifurans

Naphtho[1,2-b]furans 1a-f, naphtho[2,1-b]furans 2a-f, benzo[1,2-b:5,4-b′]difurans 3a-b, benzo[1,2-b:4,5-b′]difurans 4a-b, and benzo[1,2-b:4,3-b′]difurans 5a-b were synthesized by base-catalyzed cyclization reaction of the corresponding o-alkoxybenzoylarene derivatives. The o-alkoxybenzoylarenes were obtained from the etherification reaction of the o-hydroxybenzoylarenes, which were prepared either by the reaction of methoxyarenes with benzoyl chloride in the presence of aluminum chloride or by photo-Fries rearrangement of aryl benzoates.     

Furan ring opening-furan ring closure: cascade rearrangement of novel 4-acetoxy-9-furylnaphtho[2,3-b]furans

The cascade rearrangement of novel 4-acetoxy-9-furylnaphtho[2,3-b]furans leading to tetracyclic naphthodifurans derivatives has been developed. The reaction proceeds via double recyclization of both furan rings of the initial molecule, one of the furan rings serving as a 1,3-dicarbonyl compound equivalent.     

One-pot synthesis of 12H-benzo[b]xanthen-12-ones and naphtha[2,3-b]furans from non-naphthalene substrates

An efficient one-pot synthesis of 12H-benzo[b]xanthen-12-ones via an oxidant initiated and base promoted tandem reaction of 2-(4-(2-haloaryl)-4-hydroxybut-1-ynyl)benzaldehydes has been developed. By using similar strategy, a one-pot synthesis of naphtha[2,3-b]furans from the cascade reaction of 2-(4-hydroxy-but-1-ynyl)benzaldehydes with 2-bromoacetonitrile or α-bromocarbonyl compounds has also been achieved.     

An approach to the synthesis of naphtho[b]furans from allyl bromonaphthyl ethers employing sequential photoinduced radical cyclization and dehydrohalogenation reactions

A simple method has been developed for the efficient synthesis of naphtho[b]furans from allyl bromonaphthyl ethers. The approach utilizes a novel photochemical process involving sequential radical cyclization and dehydrohalogenation. Because light is a readily available, environmentally friendly reagent that produces no by-products, the new process serves as a green synthetic method.     

An efficient synthesis of 4,5-dihydronaphtho[2,1-b]furan through a novel ring transformation of 2H-pyran-2-one

An innovative route for the synthesis of substituted naphtho[2,1-b]furan has been delineated through a ring transformation reaction of suitably functionalized 2H-pyran-2-ones by reaction with 6,7-dihydro-5H-benzofuran-4-one, in good yield.     

Efficient synthesis of 5-nitro-benzo[b]furans via 2-bromo-4-nitro-phenyl acetates

Acetylation/Sonogashira cross-coupling reaction/cyclization has been carried out in one-pot using a Na₂PdCl₄/2-(di-tert-butylphosphino)-N-phenylindole/CuI system in TMEDA to give 5-nitro-2-substituted benzo[b]furans in excellent yields. We also describe the extension of this method to 4-EWG-2-bromo-phenols obtaining 2,5-disubstituted-benzo[b]furans in good yields.     

Convenient synthesis of novel 2,2-dialkyl-1,2-dihydronaphtho[2,1-b]furans

Reaction of 2,2-dialkylacetaldehydes with electron-rich 2-naphthols in presence of p-TSA under closed-vessel solvent-free microwave irradiation conditions resulted in formation of corresponding dihydronaphtho[2,1-b]furans in good to excellent yields. In several cases, small amounts of 14-alkyl-14H-dibenzo[a,j]xanthenes were also formed.     

2-Allyl-N-benzyl substituted α-naphthylamines as building blocks in heterocyclic synthesis. New and efficient syntheses of benz[e]naphtho[1,2-b]azepine and naphtho[1,2-b]azepine derivatives

A new series of 13-acetyl-7,12-dihydro-7-ethylbenz[e]naphtho[1,2-b]azepine (4a-d) and 2-aryl-4-hydroxy-2,3,4,5-tetrahydronaphtho[1,2-b]azepine derivatives (6a-d) have been synthesized from N-allyl-N-benzyl substituted α-naphthylamines (1a-d) by utilizing aromatic amino-Claisen rearrangement, intramolecular Friedel-Crafts alkylation and intramolecular dipolar 1,3-cycloaddition nitrone-olefin reactions.     

An efficient three-component reaction involving [3 + 1 + 1] furannulation leading to furanonaphthoquinones in water

An efficient and clean green synthesis of highly substituted linear naphtho[2,3-b]-furan-4,9-dione derivatives, starting from 2-hydroxy-1,4-naphthoquinone, alkyl isocyanides and a variety of aldehydes, is described. This new method provides the first example of an efficient regioselective synthetic method for the synthesis of linear naphtho[2,3-b]-furan-4,9-dione ring systems by formation of three bonds. This [3 + 1 + 1] furannulation strategy affords furanonaphthoquinones in moderate to high yields, using water as a cheap, non-toxic, environmentally friendly solvent, in a one-step reaction, without the need of complicated work-up procedures. Correspondence: Mohammad Bagher Teimouri, Petrochemical Department, Iran Polymer and Petrochemical Institute, P.O. Box 14965-115, Tehran, Iran.     

A simple approach to highly functionalized benzo[b]furans from phenols and aryl iodides via aryl propargyl ethers

A variety of mono- and disubstituted phenols are alkylated with propargyl bromide to give phenyl 2-propynyl ethers, which were further coupled with aryl iodides under Sonogashira reaction conditions to give 3-phenoxy-1-aryl-1-propyne derivatives. The latter compounds underwent an initial Claisen rearrangement followed by ring closure to give functionalized benzo[b]furans in moderate to good yields.     

Regioselective formylation of pyrazolo[3,4-b]pyridine and pyrazolo[1,5-a]pyrimidine systems using Vilsmeier-Haack conditions

Regioselective formylation behavior has been found in the reaction of pyrazolo[3,4-b]pyridines and pyrazolo[1,5-a]pyrimidines via Vilsmeier-Haack conditions. While the 4,5- and 6,7-dihydro derivatives afforded pyrazolo[3,4-b]pyridine-5-carbaldehydes and 4,7-dihydropyrazolo[1,5-a]pyrimidine-3,6-dicarbaldehydes, respectively, the aromatic analogs rendered the pyrazolo[1,5-a]pyrimidine-3-carbaldehyde only, and no reaction took place at the pyrazolopyridine derivatives.     

Synthesis of naphtho[b]cyclobutenes from 1,2-bis(3-propynol)benzenes

We have demonstrated that the reaction of benzene-bridged bis(propargyl alcohol)s with chlorodialkylphosphines exclusively afforded 3,8-bis(dialkylphosphinyl)naphtho[b]cyclobutenes via the [2+2] cycloaddition of 1,2-bis(α-phosphinylallenyl)benzenes. Dephosphinylation of the product has also been achieved.     

Reactivity of sarcosine and 1,3-thiazolidine-4-carboxylic acid towards salicylaldehyde-derived alkynes and allenes

The reaction of sarcosine and 1,3-thiazolidine-4-carboxylic acid with salicylaldehyde-derived alkynes and allenes opened the way to new chromeno[4,3-b]pyrrole and chromeno[2,3-b]pyrrole derivatives. Tetrahydro-chromeno[4,3-b]pyrroles were obtained from the reaction of these secondary amino acids with O-propargylsalicylaldehyde. Interestingly, sarcosine reacted with ethyl 4-(2-formylphenoxy)but-2-ynoate to give a monocyclic pyrrole resulting from rearrangement of the initially formed 1,3-dipolar cycloadduct. Decarboxylative condensation of ethyl 4-(2-formylphenoxy)but-2-ynoate with 1,3-thiazolidine-4-carboxylic acid afforded in a stereoselective fashion the expected chromeno-pyrrolo[1,2-c]thiazole, which structure was unambiguously established by X-ray crystallography. However, the 1H,3H-pyrrolo[1,2-c]thiazole resulting from the opening of the pyran ring was also isolated. The reaction with O-buta-2,3-dienyl salicylaldehyde afforded 3-methylene-hexahydrochromeno[4,3-b]pyrrole. O-Allenyl salicylaldehyde reacted with sarcosine and 1,3-thiazolidine-4-carboxylic acid to give a new type of chromeno-pyrroles. A mechanism proposal for the synthesis of these chromeno[2,3-b]pyrroles has been presented.     

Synthesis of bhimamycin B based on oxidative rearrangement of 4-acetylnaphtho[1,2-b]furan-5-ol to naphtho[2,3-c]furan-4,9-dione

The first total synthesis of bhimamycin B, a novel member of naphtho[2,3-c]furan quinone antibiotics, was achieved by oxidative skeletal rearrangement of 4-acetylnaphtho[1,2-b]furan-5-ol.     

Pd/C mediated synthesis of 2-substituted benzo[b]furans/nitrobenzo[b]furans in water

An efficient synthesis of 2-alkyl/aryl substituted benzo[b]furans/nitrobenzo[b]furans in water has been accomplished via Pd/C catalyzed reaction of o-iodophenols with terminal alkynes in the presence of PPh₃, CuI and prolinol. This method can tolerate a variety of functional groups present in the alkynes as well as base labile nitro group in the o-iodophenols. The protocol does not require the use of a phase transfer catalyst or water-soluble phosphine ligands and is free from the use of any organic co-solvent.     

A straightforward conversion of aurones to 2-benzoylbenzofurans: transformation of one class of natural products into another

The naturally occurring aurones (2-benzylidene-3(2H)-benzofuran-3-ones) can be easily converted to another class of natural products 2-benzoylbenzo[b]furans, via an effective reduction, acid-mediated rearrangement, and oxidation cascade. This easy conversion was conducted without purification of intermediates. This straightforward conversion may be considered as a possible biosynthesis pathway of 2-benzoylbenzo[b]furans in plants.     

One-pot three-component regioselective synthesis of linear naphtho[2,3-b]-furan-4,9-diones

The regioselective three-component condensation reaction of 2-hydroxy-1,4-naphthoquinone with isocyanides in the presence of a variety of aldehydes offers an easy one-pot access to linear naphtho[2,3-b]-furan-4,9-dione derivatives. This method has the advantage of good yields, high regioselectivity, and uses readily accessible substrates and reagents. The elucidation of regiochemistry has been accomplished by X-ray determination of some representative compounds.     

Unprecedentedly mild direct Pd-catalyzed arylation of oxazolo[4,5-b]pyridine

Pd-catalyzed C-2 arylation of oxazolo[4,5-b]pyridine proceeds efficiently at 30 °C and tolerates a variety of aryl halides, including derivatized amino acids for which no racemization was observed during the reaction. Experimental evidence for facile deprotonation of oxazolo[4,5-b]pyridine under the reaction conditions is presented and the nature of the anionic intermediates is computationally examined.     

Synthesis and some transformations of new 9-furylnaphtho[2,3-b]furan derivatives

The synthesis of a number of naphtho[2,3-b]furan derivatives, containing a furyl substituent in position 9 by intramolecular cyclization of 2-carboxy and 2-formylbis(5-alkylfur-2-yl)methanes is described. The reactivity of the title compounds in formylation, acetylation, nitration, and oxidation reactions has been investigated. It was shown that nitration of 2-methyl-9-(5-methyl-2-furyl)naphtho[2,3-b]furan-4-yl acetate leads to oxidative furan ring opening rather than to electrophilic substitution.     

Eco-friendly and facile synthesis of 2-substituted-1H-imidazo[4,5-b]pyridine in aqueous medium by air oxidation

We report a new environmentally-benign, convenient, and facile methodology for the synthesis of 2-substituted-1H-imidazo[4,5-b]pyridine. The reaction of 2,3-diaminopyridine with substituted aryl aldehydes in water under thermal conditions without the use of any oxidative reagent has been studied. The reaction has yielded 1H-imidazo[4,5-b]pyridine derivatives by an air oxidative cyclocondensation reaction in one step in an excellent yield. Furthermore, a series of compounds were synthesized and characterized by melting point, EI-MS, NMR, and IR tools. For comparison, the reference samples were prepared by the reported method. Utilization of aqueous medium, easy reaction conditions, isolation, and purification make this manipulation very interesting from an economic and environmental perspective.