An efficient phosphine-free palladium coupling for the synthesis of new 2-arylbenzo[b]thiophenes

Straightforward and rapid access to 2-arylbenzo[b]thiophenes has been developed. It involved a catalytic coupling of 3-activated benzo[b]thiophenes with several aryl halides in the presence of a phosphine-free palladium system. In case of fragile functional groups such as aldehydes, a quaternary ammonium was used as an additive as with the other substrates, the coupling performed better and faster in the presence of a crown ether, the best one being DCH-18-C-6, with good yields and low reaction times. This method would provide a direct access to novel structures of biological interest.     

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.     

An efficient and novel approach to the synthesis of tetrahydrophenanthro[4,3-b]thiophenes

An elegant approach to the synthesis of 2,3,6,7-tetrahydrophenanthro[4,3-b]thiophenes has been described through base catalyzed ring transformation of 4-sec-amino-2-oxo-5,6-dihydro-2H-benzo[h]chromene-3-carbonitriles with tetrahydrothiophen-3-one in very good yields.     

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.     

Bromination of 3-substituted benzo[b]thiophenes: access to Raloxifen intermediate

A practical route to prepare halogeno-derivatives is described, starting from easily available 3-cyano-benzo[b]thiophene. Main efforts have been devoted to the optimization of the experimental procedures (solvent, bromination) to promote selectivity. Synthetic studies investigate the potential access to an advanced intermediate of Raloxifen.     

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.     

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.     

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.     

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.     

Metal-free synthesis of 3-chalcogen benzo[b]furans via an iodine-mediated electrophilic cyclisation of 2-alkynylanisoles

An efficient and metal-free method was developed to synthesize 3-chalcogen benzo[b]furans via the iodine-mediated electrophilic cyclisation of 2-alkynylanisoles with disulfides or diselenides. In the presence of I₂, various 3-sulfenylbenzofurans or 3-selenenylbenzofurans were obtained in moderate to high yields.     

An efficient synthesis of spiro[dibenzo[b,i]xanthene-13,3′-indoline]-pentaones and 5H-dibenzo[b,i]xanthene-tetraones

Spiro[dibenzo[b,i]xanthene-13,3′-indoline]-pentaones and 5H-dibenzo[b,i]xanthene-tetraones are synthesized from the condensation of 2-hydroxynaphthalene-1,4-dione with isatins or aldehydes.     

Selective synthesis, structure and oxidation properties of isomeric 1,4-dithiins fused to two benzo[b]thiophenes

Two novel isomers of 1,4-dithiins fused to two benzo[b]thiophenes on both sides were obtained by selective synthetic methods via the corresponding sulfides. The crystal structures of two dithiins were determined by X-ray crystallographic analyses. Examination of oxidation properties of the dithiins showed interesting results by CV measurement. The ESR spectra of chemically oxidized dithiins indicated formation of stable radical cations.     

An efficient approach to construct 2-arylbenzo[b]furans from 2-methoxychalcone epoxides

An efficient and practical method for construction of 2-arylbenzo[b]furans from 2-methoxychalcone epoxides has been reported. Catalyzed by 2 mol % of BF₃·Et₂O, 2-methoxychalcone epoxides went through the Meerwein rearrangement, followed by deformylation in one-pot to successfully afforded 2-methoxydeoxybenzoins. Afterward, 2-arylbenzo[b]furans were obtained in high yields (87%–100%) via intermolecular cyclodehydration of 2-methoxydeoxybenzoins with 48% HBr. By utilization of this approach, the natural product stemofuran A and the key intermediate of eupomatenoid 6 have been synthesized conveniently.     

Insights into the reaction of trans-diarylethenes with thionyl chloride: a practical synthesis of chlorobenzo[b]thiophenes

The reactivity of a variety of trans-1,2-diarylethenes with thionyl chloride has been investigated. All the substrates could readily afford 3-chlorobenzo[b]thiophenes in moderate yields and a pair of threo- and erythro-1,2-dichloro-1,2-diarylethanes as the minor products under mild condition. The diastereoisomers of 1,2-dichloro-1,2-diarylethanes with a methoxy group on the benzene ring were found for the first time to be also converted into cholobenzo[b]thiophenes under treatment of thionyl chloride. The chemical transformations have been mechanistically rationalized and successfully applied to a one-pot synthesis of novel fluorescent liquid crystalline compounds containing benzo[b]thiophene and 1,3,4-oxadiazole units. Their spectroscopic and mesogenic behaviours are also described.     

Investigation towards an efficient synthesis of benzo[g]isoquinoline-1,5,10(2H)-triones

As part of our research on 2-aza analogues of pentalongin, the active principle of Pentas longiflora Oliv., the first synthesis of 2,3-disubstituted benzo[g]isoquinoline-1,5,10(2H)-triones via 3,4-disubstituted 6-hydroxybenzo[g]furo[4,3,2-de]isoquinoline-2,5(4H)-diones as the key intermediates is reported. The latter compounds have been prepared by treating 2-methoxycarbonyl-1,4-naphthoquinone with N-substituted enaminoesters under acidic conditions. These reagents are easily accessible from readily available 1,4-dihydroxy-2-naphthoic acid, β-ketoesters and primary amines. Finally, a short synthesis of substituted benzo[g]isoquinoline-1,5,10(2H)-triones is achieved by an oxidative addition of N-substituted enaminoesters onto methyl 1,4-dihydroxynaphthalene-2-carboxylate.     

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.     

Microwave-assisted one-pot synthesis of benzo[b][1,4]thiazin-3(4H)-ones via Smiles rearrangement

The synthesis of benzo[b][1,4]thiazin-3(4H)-one derivatives in a simple and efficient method from the one-pot reaction of substituted 2-chlorobenzenthiols, chloroacetyl chloride, and primary amines via Smiles rearrangement under microwave irradiation gave high yields (65-92%) of the products with short reaction time (15-20 min).     

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.     

Regioselective synthesis of functionalized naphtho[b]thiophenes through a ‘lactone methodology’

Benzo[b]thiophene and its benzannulated derivatives are important classes of compounds due to their unique chemical properties and biosteric relationship with indole. In this letter, we report a convenient route for the synthesis of substituted naphtho[b]thiophenes through a ring transformation reaction of suitably functionalized 2H-pyran-2-ones with 6,7-dihydro-5H-benzothiophene-4-one, in good yields.     

A novel transformation of 1-exo-substituted 2a-aroyl-1,2,2a,8b-tetrahydro-3H-benzo[b]cyclobuta[d]pyran-3-ones with sulfoxonium ylide to highly strained 2a-(1-arylethenyl)-1,2,2a,7b-tetrahydrocyclobuta[b]benzofurans

When 1-substituted 2a-aroyl-1,2,2a,8b-tetrahydro-3H-benzo[b]cyclobuta[d]pyran-3-ones (1) were treated with dimethylsulfoxonium methylide, 1-endo isomers (endo-1) gave 1-substituted 3-aroyl-1,2,4a,9b-tetrahydrodibenzofuran-4-ols (2) exclusively as expected. On the other hand, 1-exo isomers (exo-1) underwent a novel transformation to 1-substituted 2a-(1-arylethenyl)-1,2,2a,7b-tetrahydrocyclobuta[b]benzofurans (3), together with 2.