DPPH (= 2,2‐Diphenyl‐1‐picrylhydrazyl = 2,2‐Diphenyl‐1‐(2,4,6‐trinitrophenyl)hydrazyl) Radical‐Scavenging Reaction of Protocatechuic Acid Esters (= 3,4‐Dihydroxybenzoates) in Alcohols: Formation of Bis‐alcohol Adduct

Protocatechuic acid esters (= 3,4‐dihydroxybenzoates) scavenge ca. 5 equiv. of radical in alcoholic solvents, whereas they consume only 2 equiv. of radical in nonalcoholic solvents. While the high radical‐scavenging activity of protocatechuic acid esters in alcoholic solvents as compared to that in nonalcoholic solvents is due to a nucleophilic addition of an alcohol molecule at C(2) of an intermediate o‐quinone structure, thus regenerating a catechol (= benzene‐1,2‐diol) structure, it is still unclear why protocatechuic acid esters scavenge more than 4 equiv. of radical (C(2) refers to the protocatechuic acid numbering). Therefore, to elucidate the oxidation mechanism beyond the formation of the C(2) alcohol adduct, 3,4‐dihydroxy‐2‐methoxybenzoic acid methyl ester ( 4 ), the C(2) MeOH adduct, which is an oxidation product of methyl protocatechuate ( 1 ) in MeOH, was oxidized by the DPPH radical (= 2,2‐diphenyl‐1‐picrylhydrazyl) or o‐chloranil (= 3,4,5,6‐tetrachlorocyclohexa‐3,5‐diene‐1,2‐dione) in CD₃OD/(D₆)acetone 3 : 1). The oxidation mixtures were directly analyzed by NMR. Oxidation with both the DPPH radical and o‐chloranil produced a C(2),C(6) bis‐methanol adduct ( 7 ), which could scavenge additional 2 equiv. of radical. Calculations of LUMO electron densities of o‐quinones corroborated the regioselective nucleophilic addition of alcohol molecules with o‐quinones. Our results strongly suggest that the regeneration of a catechol structure via a nucleophilic addition of an alcohol molecule with a o‐quinone is a key reaction for the high radical‐scavenging activity of protocatechuic acid esters in alcoholic solvents.     

Synthesis of 1‐Amino‐5,6‐diaryl‐3‐cyano‐1H‐pyridin‐2‐ones and 6,7‐Diaryl‐4‐cyano‐3‐hydroxy‐1H‐[1,2]diazepines from Isoflavones

The one‐step cyclocondensation of substituted isoflavones (=3‐phenyl‐4H‐1‐benzopyran‐4‐ones) with cyanoacetohydrazide in the presence of KOH afforded a mixture of 1‐amino‐5,6‐diaryl‐3‐cyano‐1H‐2‐pyridin‐2‐ones and 6,7‐diaryl‐4‐cyano‐3‐hydroxy‐1H‐[1,2]diazepines.     

Report on an Unusual Cascade Reaction between Azulenes and 2,3‐Dichloro‐5,6‐dicyano‐1,4‐benzoquinone (=4,5‐Dichloro‐3,6‐dioxocyclohexa‐1,4‐diene‐1,2‐dicarbonitrile; DDQ)

The oxidation of 1‐(3,8‐dimethylazulen‐1‐yl)alkan‐1‐ones 1 with 2,3‐dichloro‐5,6‐dicyano‐1,4‐benzoquinone (=4,5‐dichloro‐3,6‐dioxocyclohexa‐1,4‐diene‐1,2‐dicarbonitrile; DDQ) in acetone/H₂O mixtures at room temperature does not only lead to the corresponding azulene‐1‐carboxaldehydes 2 but also, in small amounts, to three further products (Tables 1 and 2). The structures of the additional products 3 – 5 were solved spectroscopically, and that of 3a also by an X‐ray crystal‐structure analysis (Fig. 1). It is demonstrated that the bis(azulenylmethyl)‐substituted DDQ derivatives 5 yield on methanolysis or hydrolysis precursors, which in a cascade of reactions rearrange under loss of HCl into the pentacyclic compounds 3 (Schemes 4 and 7). The found 1,1′‐[carbonylbis(8‐methylazulene‐3,1‐diyl)]bis[ethanones] 4 are the result of further oxidation of the azulene‐1‐carboxaldehydes 2 to the corresponding azulene‐1‐carboxylic acids (Schemes 9 and 10).     

Ultrasound‐Promoted Catalyst‐Free Synthesis of 2,2′‐(1,4‐Phenylene)bis[1‐acetyl‐1,2‐dihydro‐4H‐3,1‐benzoxazin‐4‐one] Derivatives

A convenient approach to 2,2′‐(1,4‐phenylene)bis[1‐acetyl‐1,2‐dihydro‐4H‐3,1‐benzoxazin‐4‐one] derivatives 4 was explored employing the one‐pot condensation of anthranilic acids (=2‐aminobenzoic acids) 1 with terephthalaldehyde (=benzene‐1,4‐dicarboxaldehyde; 2 ) under ultrasound‐irradiation conditions (Scheme 1). The reactions proceeded smoothly in the presence of excess Ac₂O in the absence of any other catalyst and solvent to afford the respective products in high yields.     

One‐Pot Synthesis of Novel Pyrrolo[1,2‐a]quinoxaline‐4(5H)‐ones Using Benzene‐1,2‐diamine,Acetylenedicarboxylates, and β‐Nitrostyrene Derivatives

The reaction between a variety of o‐phenylenediamines (=benzene‐1,2‐diamines), dialkyl acetylenedicarboxylates, and derivatives of nitrostyrene (=(E)‐(2‐nitroethenyl)benzene) in the presence of sulfamic acid (SA; H₃NSO₃) as catalyst led to the corresponding pyrrolo[1,2‐a]quinoxaline‐4(5H)‐one derivatives in high yields.     

2‐Arylimino(diferrocenyl)‐ and (di‐p‐anisyl)dihydropyrimidines: Novel Synthesis,Structures, and Electrochemistry

2,3‐Differocenyl‐ and 2,3‐dianisyl‐1‐methylsulfanylcyclopropenilium iodides react with 1,3‐diphenyl‐ and 1,3‐di‐o‐tolylguanidine to give 1‐aryl‐2‐arylimino‐5,6‐ ( 5a , 5b ) and ‐4,5‐diferrocenyl‐1,2‐dihydropyrimidines ( 6a , 6b ) (～ 2:1) and, respectively, 5,6‐ and 4,5‐dianisyl‐3‐phenyl‐2‐phenylimino‐1,2‐dihydropyrimidines (～ 2:1). Their structures were established based on the spectroscopic data and X‐ray diffraction analysis of 5,6‐diferrocenyl‐1‐(o‐tolyl)‐2‐(o‐tolyl)imino‐ and 4,5‐diferrocenyl‐1‐phenyl‐2‐phenylimino‐1,2‐dihydropyrimidines ( 5b and 6a , respectively). Electrochemical behavior of compounds 5b, 6b, and 5a+6a were investigated using experiments of cyclic voltammetry and chronoamperometry. For all the compounds, two electrochemical processes ( I , II ), attributed to the oxidations of the ferrocenes moieties were observed. The values of ΔE^0′ ( II‐I ) and comproportionation constant K_com are also reported. Additionally, an electrochemical oxidation with a fast coupled chemical reaction related to the pyrimide ring was also detected.     

Facile and Selective Synthesis of 4‐Methyl‐ and 4‐Phenylthiosemicarbazide (=N‐Methyl‐ and N‐Phenylhydrazinecarbothioamide) Derivatives of Benzil (=1,2‐Diphenylethane‐1,2‐dione)

A selective synthesis of 4‐methylthiosemicarbazide (=N‐methylhydrazinecarbothioamide; 4a ) derivatives by reaction with benzil (=1,2‐diphenylethane‐1,2‐dione; 3 ) is described. The reaction conditions determined the condensation product formed. The most important factor was the acid used: in the presence of conc. HCl solution, the open‐chain 2 : 1 compound 1a was exclusively obtained, whereas in the presence of 2M HCl, the cyclic 1 : 1 condensation product 2a was formed. The alcohol used, the presence of H₂O, and the time of heating were additional crucial factors. The new cyclic compound 2a with a MeO group was exclusively formed when working under high‐dilution conditions. The reaction with the 4‐phenyl derivative 4b gave new cyclic compounds as the major products under all conditions used (Scheme).     

DPPH (= 2,2‐Diphenyl‐1‐picrylhydrazyl) Radical‐Scavenging Reaction of Protocatechuic Acid (= 3,4‐Dihydroxybenzoic Acid): Difference in Reactivity between Acids and Their Esters

Protocatechuic acid (= 3,4‐dihydroxybenzoic acid; 1 ) exhibits a significantly slow DPPH (= 2,2‐diphenyl‐1‐picrylhydrazyl) radical‐scavenging reaction compared to its esters in alcoholic solvents. The present study is aimed at the elucidation of the difference between the radical‐scavenging mechanisms of protocatechuic acid and its esters in alcohol. Both protocatechuic acid ( 1 ) and its methyl ester 2 rapidly scavenged 2 equiv. of radical and were converted to the corresponding o‐quinone structures 1a and 2a , respectively (Scheme). Then, a regeneration of catechol (= benzene‐1,2‐diol) structures occurred via a nucleophilic addition of a MeOH molecule to the o‐quinones to yield alcohol adducts 1f and 2c , respectively, which can scavenge additional 2 equiv. of radical. However, the reaction of protocatechuic acid ( 1 ) beyond the formation of the o‐quinone was much slower than that of its methyl ester 2 . The results suggest that the slower radical‐scavenging reaction of 1 compared to its esters is due to a dissociation of the electron‐withdrawing carboxylic acid function to the electron‐donating carboxylate ion, which decreases the electrophilicity of the o‐quinone, leading to a lower susceptibility towards a nucleophilic attack by an alcohol molecule.     

A Direct Synthesis of Nucleoside Analogs Homologated at the 3′‐ and 5′‐Positions

A new route is presented to prepare analogs of nucleosides homologated at the 3′‐ and 5′‐positions. This route, applicable to both the D ‐ and L ‐enantiomeric forms, is suitable for the preparation of monomeric bis‐homonucleosides needed for the synthesis of oligonucleotide analogs. It begins with the known monobenzyl ether 3 of pent‐2‐yne‐1,5‐diol, which is reduced to alkenol 4 . Sharpless asymmetric epoxidation of 4 , followed by opening of the epoxide 5 with allylmagnesium bromide, gives a mixture of diols 6 and 7 . Protection of the primary alcohol as a silyl ether followed by treatment with OsO₄, NaIO₄, and mild acid in MeOH, followed by reduction, yields (2R,3R) {{[(tert‐butyl)diphenylsilyl]oxy}methyl}tetrahydro‐2‐(2‐hydroxyethyl)‐5‐methoxyfuran (=methyl 3‐{{[(tert‐butyl)diphenylsilyl]oxy}methyl}‐2,3,5‐trideoxy‐α/β‐D ‐erythro‐hexafuranoside; 10 ) (Scheme 1). Protected nucleobases are added to this skeleton with the aid of trimethylsilyl triflate (Scheme 2). The o‐toluoyl (2‐MeC₆H₄CO) and p‐anisoyl (4‐MeOC₆H₄CO) groups were used to protect the exocyclic amino group of cytosine. The bis‐homonucleoside analogs 11 and 14a are then converted to monothiol derivatives suitable for coupling (Schemes 3 and 4) to oligonucleotide analogs with bridging S‐atoms. This synthesis replaces a much longer synthesis for analogous nucleoside analogs that begins with diacetoneglucose (=1,2 : 5,6‐di‐O‐isopropylideneglucose), with the stereogenic centers in the final products derived from the Sharpless asymmetric epoxidation. The new route is useful for large‐scale synthesis of these building blocks for the synthesis of oligonucleotide analogs.     

1‐Thiacyclooct‐4‐yne (=5,6‐Didehydro‐3,4,7,8‐tetrahydro‐2H‐thiocin), and Its Sulfoxide and Its Sulfone

1‐Thiacyclooct‐4‐yne (=5,6‐didehydro‐3,4,7,8‐tetrahydro‐2H‐thiocin; 9 ) can be prepared from thiocan‐5‐one ( 6 ) in three steps by applying the so‐called selenadiazole method. The heterocyclic alkyne can be oxidized to the corresponding sulfoxide 16 and sulfone 17 . Due to their geometrical strain, all three cyclic alkynes show high reactivities in Diels? Alder and 1,3‐dipolar cycloadditions. Moreover, tetrathiafulvalenes can be prepared from 9 and 16 by the reaction with CS₂.     

Chemie freier cyclischer vicinaler Tricarbonyl‐Verbindungen (‘1,2,3‐Trione') Teil 2. Redox‐Reaktionen von 1,2,3‐Trionen mit En‐1,2‐diolen (‘Reduktonen'), 2‐Alkoxy‐en‐1‐olen,En‐1,2‐diaminen und verwandten Spezies

Chemistry of Free Cyclic Vicinal Tricarbonyl Compounds (‘1,2,3‐Triones'). Part 2. Redox Reactions of 1,2,3‐Triones with Ene‐1,2‐diols (‘Reductones'), 2‐Alkoxy‐en‐1‐ols, Ene‐1,2‐diamines, and Related Species . Midstanding carbonyl groups of cyclic 1,2,3‐triones 4 possess outstanding electrophilic (electron‐pair accepting) as well as oxidizing (one‐electron accepting) properties. Their reactions with selected electron‐rich CC bonds as efficient nucleophiles (A_N reactions) and as efficient reducing agents (SET (single electron transfer) reactions) are studied. In a few cases, short‐lived charge‐transfer colors could be observed. Particularly, free didehydro‐5,6‐O‐isopropyliden‐L ‐ascorbic acid ( 4g ), its O,C‐adduct 8g to 5,6‐O‐isopropylidene‐L ‐ascorbic acid ( 1g ), and – via an independent pathway – the ostensible C,C‐dimer 10a of mono‐dehydrodimedone reductone were prepared. Intermediate radical anions 4 ^.− can be considered to be ideal representatives of dicapto‐dative radicals. Novel large‐scale syntheses of 3,4‐dihydroxyfuran‐2(5H)‐one ( 1e ) and of its vicinal trione 4e are presented.     

A New Four‐Component Reaction for the Synthesis of Spiro[4H‐indeno[1,2‐b]pyridine‐4,3′‐[3H]indoles]

A new four‐component synthesis of spiro[4H‐indeno[1,2‐b]pyridine‐4,3′‐[3H]indoles] and spiro[acenaphthylene‐1(2H),4′‐[4H‐indeno[1,2‐b]pyridines] by the reaction of indane‐1,3‐dione, 1,3‐dicarbonyl compounds, isatins (=1H‐indole‐2,3‐diones) or acenaphthylene‐1,2‐dione, and AcONH₄ in refluxing toluene in the presence of a catalytic amount of pyridine is reported.     

Convenient Synthesis of Various Substituted Homotaurines from Alk‐2‐enamides

Various substituted homotaurines (=3‐aminopropane‐1‐sulfonic acids) 6 were readily synthesized in satisfactory to good yields via the Michael addition of thioacetic acid to alk‐2‐enamides 3 (→ 4 ), followed by LiAlH₄ reduction (→ 5 ) and performic acid oxidation (Scheme 1). The configuration of ‘anti’‐disubstituted homotaurine ‘anti’‐ 6h was deduced from the 3‐(acetylthio)alkanamide (=S‐(3‐amino‐1,2‐dimethyl‐3‐oxopropyl) ethanethioate)‘anti’‐ 4h formed in the Michael addition, which was identified via the Karplus equation analysis, and confirmed by X‐ray diffraction analysis. The current route is an efficient method to synthesize diverse substituted homotaurines, including 1‐, 2‐, and N‐monosubstituted, as well as 1,2‐, 1,N‐, 2,N‐, and N,N‐disubstituted homotaurines (Table).     

Synthesis of 1‐Methyl‐6,10‐diphenylheptalene Derivatives

The reduction of heptalene diester 1 with diisobutylaluminium hydride (DIBAH) in THF gave a mixture of heptalene‐1,2‐dimethanol 2a and its double‐bond‐shift (DBS) isomer 2b (Scheme 3). Both products can be isolated by column chromatography on silica gel. The subsequent chlorination of 2a or 2b with PCl₅ in CH₂Cl₂ led to a mixture of 1,2‐bis(chloromethyl)heptalene 3a and its DBS isomer 3b . After a prolonged chromatographic separation, both products 3a and 3b were obtained in pure form. They crystallized smoothly from hexane/Et₂O 7 : 1 at low temperature, and their structures were determined by X‐ray crystal‐structure analysis (Figs. 1 and 2). The nucleophilic exchange of the Cl substituents of 3a or 3b by diphenylphosphino groups was easily achieved with excess of (diphenylphospino)lithium (=lithium diphenylphosphanide) in THF at 0° (Scheme 4). However, the purification of 4a / 4b was very difficult since these bis‐phosphines decomposed on column chromatography on silica gel and were converted mostly by oxidation by air to bis(phosphine oxides) 5a and 5b . Both 5a and 5b were also obtained in pure form by reaction of 3a or 3b with (diphenylphosphinyl)lithium (=lithium oxidodiphenylphospanide) in THF, followed by column chromatography on silica gel with Et₂O. Carboxaldehydes 7a and 7b were synthesized by a disproportionation reaction of the dimethanol mixture 2a / 2b with catalytic amounts of TsOH. The subsequent decarbonylation of both carboxaldehydes with tris(triphenylphosphine)rhodium(1+) chloride yielded heptalene 8 in a quantitative yield. The reaction of a thermal‐equilibrium mixture 3a / 3b with the borane adduct of (diphenylphosphino)lithium in THF at 0° gave 6a and 6b in yields of 5 and 15%, respectively (Scheme 4). However, heating 6a or 6b in the presence of 1,4‐diazabicyclo[2.2.2]octane (DABCO) in toluene, generated both bis‐phosphine 4a and its DBS isomer 4b which could not be separated. The attempt at a conversion of 3a or 3b into bis‐phosphines 4a or 4b by treatment with t‐BuLi and Ph₂PCl also failed completely. Thus, we returned to investigate the antipodes of the dimethanols 2a, 2b , and of 8 that can be separated on an HPLC Chiralcel‐OD column. The CD spectra of optically pure (M)‐ and (P)‐configurated heptalenes 2a, 2b , and 8 were measured (Figs. 4, 5, and 9).     

Synthesis and photovoltaic investigation of dithieno[2,3‐d:2′,3′‐d′]‐benzo[1,2‐b:3,4‐b′:5,6‐d″]trithiophene‐based conjugated polymer with an enlarged π‐conjugated system

Compared with benzo[1,2‐b:3,4‐b′:5,6‐d″]trithiophene (BTT), an extended π‐conjugation fused ring derivative, dithieno[2,3‐d:2′,3′‐d′]benzo[1,2‐b:3,4‐b′:5,6‐d″]trithiophene (DTBTT) has been designed and synthesized successfully. For investigating the effect of extending conjugation, two wide‐bandgap (WBG) benzo[1,2‐b:4,5‐b′]dithiophene (BDT)‐based conjugated polymers (CPs), PBDT‐DTBTT, and PBDT‐BTT, which were coupled between alkylthienyl‐substituted benzo[1,2‐b:4,5‐b′]dithiophene bistin (BDT‐TSn) and the weaker electron‐deficient dibromides DTBTTBr₂ and BTTBr₂ bearing alkylacyl group, were prepared. The comparison result revealed that the extending of conjugated length and enlarging of conjugated planarity in DTBTT unit endowed the polymer with a wider and stronger absorption, more ordered molecular structure, more planar and larger molecular configuration, and thus higher hole mobility in spite of raised highest occupied molecular orbital (HOMO) energy level. The best photovoltaic devices exhibited that PBDT‐DTBTT/PC₇₁BM showed the power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 2.73% with an open‐circuit voltage (V_OC) of 0.82 V, short‐circuit current density (J_SC) of 6.29 mA cm^?2, and fill factor (FF) of 52.45%, whereas control PBDT‐BTT/PC₇₁BM exhibited a PCE of 1.98% under the same experimental conditions. The 38% enhanced PCE was mainly benefited from improved absorption, and enhanced hole mobility after the conjugated system was extended from BTT to DTBTT. Therefore, our results demonstrated that extending the π‐conjugated system of donor polymer backbone was an effective strategy of tuning optical electronic property and promoting the photovoltaic property in design of WBG donor materials.     

New Synthesis of N‐(1H‐pyrazol‐5‐yl)‐hexahydroquinoline‐3‐carbonitrile and octahydropyrazolo[4′,3′:5,6]pyrimido[1,2‐a]quinoline‐6‐carbonitrile Derivatives from the Cyclic β‐Enaminones

A facile and convenient synthesis of an interesting N‐(1H‐pyrazol‐5‐yl)‐hexahydroquinoline‐3‐carbonitrile and octahydropyrazolo[4′,3′:5,6]pyrimido[1,2‐a ]quinoline‐6‐carbonitrile derivatives via the versatile readily accessible cyclic enaminones incorporating pyrazole moiety was accomplished.     

A new route for the synthesis of phosphate esters: 2,2′‐[benzene‐1,2‐diylbis(oxy)]bis(5,5‐dimethyl‐1,3,2‐dioxaphosphinane) 2,2′‐dioxide

Podand‐type ligands are an interesting class of acyclic ligands which can form host–guest complexes with many transition metals and can undergo conformational changes. Organic phosphates are components of many biological molecules. A new route for the synthesis of phosphate esters with a retained six‐membered ring has been used to prepare 2,2′‐[benzene‐1,2‐diylbis(oxy)]bis(5,5‐dimethyl‐1,3,2‐dioxaphosphinane) 2,2′‐dioxide, C₆H₄{O[cyclo‐P(O)OCH₂CMe₂CH₂O]}₂ or C₁₆H₂₄O₈P₂, (1), 2‐[(2′‐hydroxybiphenyl‐2‐yl)oxy]‐5,5‐dimethyl‐1,3,2‐dioxaphosphinane 2‐oxide, [cyclo‐P(O)OCH₂CMe₂CH₂O](2,2′‐OC₆H₄–C₆H₄OH), (2), and oxybis(5,5‐dimethyl‐1,3,2‐dioxaphosphinane) 2,2′‐dioxide, O[cyclo‐P(O)OCH₂CMe₂CH₂O]₂, (3). Compound (1) is novel, whereas the results for compounds (2) and (3) have been reported previously, but we record here our results for compound (3), which we find are more precise and accurate than those currently reported in the literature. In (1), two cyclo‐P(O)OCH₂CMe₂CH₂O groups are linked through a catechol group. The conformations about the two catechol O atoms are quite different, viz. one C—C—O—P torsion angle is −169.11 (11)° and indicates a trans arrangement, whereas the other C—C—O—P torsion angle is 92.48 (16)°, showing a gauche conformation. Both six‐membered POCCCO rings have good chair‐shape conformations. In both the trans and gauche conformations, the catechol O atoms are in the axial sites and the short P=O bonds are equatorially bound.     

Selenium heterocycles XLIV. Syntheses of 8,9‐dihydro‐1,2,3‐thiadiazolo[4,5‐a]‐4,7‐dihydroxynaphthalene and 1,2,3‐selenadiazolo[4,5‐a]‐4,7‐dimethoxynaphthalene

The reaction of thionyl chloride with the semicarbazone 2 gave 4,5‐dihydro‐6,9‐dihydroxynaphtho‐[1,2‐d][1,2,3]thiadiazole ( 3 ) instead of 4,5‐dihydro‐6,9‐dimethyoxynaphtho[1,2‐d][1,2,3]thiadiazole ( 4 ). Selenium dioxide oxidation of compound 2 gave 4,5‐dihydro‐6,9‐dimethyoxynaphtho[1,2‐d][1,2,3]selenadiazole ( 5 ). Oxidation of compound 5 with 2,3‐dichloro‐5,6‐dicyano‐1,4‐benzoquinone afforded 6,9‐dimethyoxynaphtho[1,2‐d][1,2,3]selenadiazole ( 6 ).     

Regioselective 1,3‐Dipolar Cycloadditions of (1Z)‐1‐(Arylmethylidene)‐5,5‐dimethyl‐3‐oxopyrazolidin‐1‐ium‐2‐ide Azomethine Imines to Acetylenic Dipolarophiles

The 5,5‐dimethylpyrazolidin‐3‐one ( 4 ), prepared from ethyl 3‐methylbut‐2‐enoate ( 3 ) and hydrazine hydrate, was treated with various substituted benzaldehydes 5a – i to give the corresponding (1Z)‐1‐(arylmethylidene)‐5,5‐dimethyl‐3‐oxopyrazolidin‐1‐ium‐2‐ide azomethine imines 6a – i . The 1,3‐dipolar cycloaddition reactions of azomethine imines 6a – h with dimethyl acetylenedicarboxylate (=dimethyl but‐2‐ynedioate; 7 ) afforded the corresponding dimethyl pyrazolo[1,2‐a]pyrazoledicarboxylates 8a – h , while by cycloaddition of 6 with methyl propiolate (=methyl prop‐2‐ynoate; 9 ), regioisomeric methyl pyrazolo[1,2‐a]pyrazolemonocarboxylates 10 and 11 were obtained. The regioselectivity of cycloadditions of azomethine imines 6a – i with methyl propiolate ( 9 ) was influenced by the substituents on the aryl residue. Thus, azomethine imines 6a – e derived from benzaldehydes 5a – e with a single substituent or without a substituent at the ortho‐positions in the aryl residue, led to mixtures of regioisomers 10a – e and 11a – e . Azomethine imines 6f – i derived from 2,6‐disubstituted benzaldehydes 5f – i gave single regioisomers 10f – i .     

Formation of 2‐(Phenylsulfonyl)resorcinols (=2‐(Phenylsulfonyl)benzene‐1,3‐diols) from Symmetrically Substituted Maleic Anhydrides (=Furan‐2,5‐diones)

Treatment of symmetrically substituted maleic anhydrides (=furan‐2,5‐diones) 6 with lithium (phenylsulfonyl)methanide, followed by methylation of the adduct with MeI/K₂CO₃ in acetone, give the corresponding 4,5‐disubstituted 2‐methyl‐2‐(phenylsulfonyl)cyclopent‐4‐ene‐1,3‐diones 8 (Scheme 3). Reaction of the latter with lithium (phenylsulfonyl)methanide in THF (?78°) and then with 4 mol‐equiv. BuLi (?5° to r.t.) leads to 5,6‐disubstituted 4‐methyl‐2‐(phenylsulfonyl)benzene‐1,3‐diols 9 (Scheme 4).