Palladium-catalysed intramolecular enolate O-arylation and thio-enolate S-arylation: synthesis of benzo[b]furans and benzo[b]thiophenes

Enolates derived from α-(ortho-haloaryl)-substituted ketones undergo palladium-catalysed C-O bond formation to deliver benzofuran products in good yield. A catalyst generated from Pd₂(dba)₃ and the ligand DPEphos effects the key bond formation to deliver a variety of substituted products from both cyclic and acyclic precursors. The analogous thio-ketones undergo C-S bond formation using identical reaction conditions and are converted to benzothiophene products. A cascade sequence that produces the required α-aryl ketones in situ has also been developed, although the substrate scope is more restricted.     

One-pot synthesis of 5,6-dihydroxylated benzo[b]furan derivatives

In the presence of sodium iodate and pyridine, several 5,6-dihydroxylated benzo[b]furan derivatives were synthesized via oxidation-Michael addition of β-dicarbonyl compounds with catechols in a one-pot procedure. The final products were confirmed by ESMS, NMR, and single-crystal X-ray diffraction study. The mechanism different from that of electrochemical methods was proposed based on DFT calculation.     

Synthesis and characterization of benzo[c]thiophene analogs incorporating benzo[b]thiophene/1-hexylindole/benzo[b]furan

Synthesis of 1,3-disubstituted benzo[c]thiophene analogs incorporating heterocycles such as benzo[b]thiophene/1-hexylindole/benzo[b]furan and thiophene units is described. Optical and electrochemical studies of the benzo[c]thiophene analogs are also reported.     

Synthesis of imidazo[1,5-a]pyridines from 1,1-dibromo-1-alkenes

An efficient method is developed for the synthesis of imidazo[1,5-a]pyridine from the reaction of 1,1-dibromo-1-alkenes with 2-aminomethylpyridines. The reaction requires an inorganic base, such as Na₂CO₃, and moderate heating in DMF to proceed. Moderate to good yields are obtained. As demonstrated by the authors and others, 1,1-dibromo-1-alkenes are employed as synthons for activated carboxyl groups.     

Acid-promoted furan annulation and aromatization: An access to benzo[b]furan derivatives

An unprecedented PTSA-promoted furan annulation and aromatization in one pot has been developed. This process offers a simple and efficient synthetic route for the construction of various highly substituted benzo[b]furan derivatives, which are widely used not only in drug active molecules but also organic semiconductor and organic light-emitting devices. The preliminary mechanism study indicated this transformation proceeded sequentially via furan annulation and aromatization.     

A facile synthesis of benzo[b][1,4]thiazepine derivatives by palladium acetate catalyzed reaction

The preparation of steroid/nonsteroid fused benzo[b][1,4]thiazepines and 2-arylsubstituted benzo[b][1,4]thiazepines is described from Pd(OAc)₂ catalyzed reaction of steroidal/nonsteroidal β-halovinyl aldehydes and 2-aminothiophenols in DMF under heating condition.     

Synthesis of indolo[2,3-a]quinolizine and hexahydro-1H-indolizino[8,7-b]indole derivatives by cascade condensation, cyclization, and Pictet-Spengler reaction: an application to the synthesis of (±)-harmicine

Synthesis of indole alkaloid related compounds using Schiff base formation, intramolecular cyclization (or N-alkylation), and Pictet-Spengler reaction as a cascade one pot condensation has been reported. The cascade chemistry has been applied to the synthesis of (±)-harmicine as a key step.     

A new synthesis of benzo[b]thiophenes utilizing an interrupted Pummerer reaction

A convenient synthesis of 3-arylbenzo[b]thiophenes utilizing an interrupted Pummerer reaction of 2-(1-arylvinyl)phenyl ethyl sulfoxides is described. Thus, treatment of these sulfoxides, which were readily prepared from 2-sulfanylphenyl ketones or 2-fluoro-5-methoxybenzaldehyde, with acetic anhydride at 100 °C afforded 3-arylbenzo[b]thiophenes in reasonable yields.     

Selective synthesis of benzo[4,5]imidazo[2,1-a]isoquinolines via copper-catalyzed tandem annulation of alkynylbenzonitriles with 2-Iodoanilines

An efficient copper-catalyzed cascade cyclization reaction for selectively synthesizing a variety of benzo[4,5]imidazo[2,1-a]isoquinoline derivatives has been developed. The reaction features the formation of three different CN bonds in sequence. In the presence of Cu(OAc)₂ and KO^tBu, o-alkynylbenzonitriles and 2-iodoanilines proceeded smoothly to obtain the corresponding benzo[4,5]imidazo[2,1-a]isoquinolines in moderate to good yields.     

Novel synthesis of benzo[b]carbazoles

A new method was adopted for the synthesis of benzo[b]carbazoles by Claisen condensation followed by Fischer indole cyclization. Newly synthesized benzo[b]carbazoles were treated with ethanol amine in the presence of polyphosphoric acid which leads to the formation of pyrazino carbazoles. All the synthesized compounds were characterized by all spectral means.     

Synthesis of 1,3-disubstituted benzo[c]thiophene analogs containing benzo[b]thiophene/benzo[b]pyrrole

The synthesis of 1,3-disubstituted benzo[c]thiophene analogs incorporating benzo[b]thiophene/benzo[b]pyrrole units is described.     

Facile synthesis of phthalan derivatives via a Pd-catalyzed tandem hydroalkynylation,isomerization, Diels-Alder cycloaddition and aromatization reaction

A novel Pd-catalyzed tandem reaction involving hydroalkynylation,isomerization.Diels-Alder cycloaddition and aromatization reaction to produce phthalan derivatives in moderate yields is reported.The reaction is atom economical and occurs in a highly ordered fashion.The reaction mechanism is discussed.     

Synthesis of benzo[c]fluorenone through a one-pot cascade reaction using inden-1-one derivatives

A novel one-pot thermal cycloaddition of two indenones followed by a decarbonylation and dehydrogenation cascade afforded benzo[c]fluorenones regioselectively. Various substituted indenone derivatives were converted into their corresponding benzo[c]fluorenones in good to excellent yields.     

Synthesis of pyrido[2′,1′:2,3]imidazo[4,5-b]quinoline and pyrido[1′,2′:1,2]imidazo[4,5-b]quinoline and their benzo and aza analogs via tandem catalysis

In this paper we report regioselective tandem metal-catalyzed aminations on dihaloquinolines (2-chloro-3-iodoquinoline and 2,3-dibromoquinoline) with amino(benzo)(di)azines. Eight new heterocyclic scaffolds of the dipyridoimidazole type could be synthesized. By controlling the reaction temperature selective C-2 intermolecular Pd-catalyzed amination on 2,3-dibromoquinoline with amino(benzo)(di)azines can be achieved.     

Photochromism of diarylethene derivatives bearing a benzo[b]silole unit

Photochromic benzo[b]silole derivatives, 1-(1,1-dimethyl-2-phenylbenzo[b]silol-3-yl)-2-(2-phenylbenzo[b]thien-3-yl)perfluorocyclopentene and 1-(1,1-dimethyl-2-phenylbenzo[b]silol-3-yl)-2-(2-phenyl-1-benzofuran-3-yl)perfluorocyclopentene, were synthesized and their photochromic performance was examined in solution.     

Stereodefined ring contraction-rearrangement of thiocoumarins to new fused benzo[b]thiophene derivatives

Mesoionic 1,3-oxazolium-5-olates (münchnones) react with thiocoumarins having an electron-withdrawing group at the 3-position to afford stereodefined fused polycyclic thienopyrroles. The reaction sequence seems to be triggered by a regiospecific dipolar cycloaddition followed by ring opening of the initial 1:1 cycloadduct and intramolecular rearrangement with an unusual ring contraction.     

Facile synthesis of 3-substituted thieno[3,2-b]furan derivatives

A facile synthesis of dimethyl 3-hydroxythieno[3,2-b]furan-2,5-dicarboxylate is reported from the available methyl thioglycolate and dimethyl acetylenedicarboxylate starting materials. This compound represents an efficient precursor for the synthesis of 3-substituted thieno[3,2-b]furan derivatives.     

A novel efficient protocol for preparation of 3-formyl-2-arylbenzo[b]furan derivatives

An efficient method for preparation of 3-formyl-2-arylbenzo[b]furan derivatives 4 from 3-chloro-2-(2-methoxyaryl)-1-arylprop-2-en-1-one 2 was developed, and the desired product was obtained in good to excellent yields. By converting 2-(2-methoxyphenyl)-3-oxo-3-phenylpropanal 1 to 2, the regioselectivity problem occurring in the reaction when using 1 as the starting material was successfully avoided. Furthermore, a one-pot procedure for the successive demethylation, cyclization, and hydrolysis was evolved, although the intermediate 3-(dibromomethyl)-2-phenylbenzo[b]furan 3a could be isolated. A plausible mechanism was proposed based on some in situ investigations.     

Microwave assisted synthesis of indole-annulated dihydropyrano[3,4-c]chromene derivatives via hetero-Diels-Alder reaction

An efficient two-step synthesis of indole-annulated dihydropyrano[3,4-c]chromene derivatives is achieved via Knoevenagel condensation of O-propargylated salicylaldehyde derivatives with indolin-2-ones followed by a microwave-assisted intramolecular-hetero-Diels-Alder reaction of the resulting (Z)-3-(2-(prop-2-ynyloxy)benzylidene)indolin-2-ones in the presence of 20 mol % CuI in acetonitrile.     

An improved synthesis of substituted benzo[b]thiophenes using microwave irradiation

An easy and high-yielding method for the synthesis of substituted benzo[b]thiophenes using microwave irradiation is described.