Toluene dioxygenase-catalyzed cis-dihydroxylation of benzo[b]thiophenes and benzo[b]furans: synthesis of benzo[b]thiophene 2,3-oxide

Enzymatic cis-dihydroxylation of benzo[b]thiophene, benzo[b]furan and several methyl substituted derivatives was found to occur in both the carbocyclic and heterocyclic rings. Relative and absolute configurations and enantiopurities of the resulting dihydrodiols were determined. Hydrogenation of the alkene bond in carbocyclic cis-dihydrodiols and ring-opening epimerization/reduction reactions of heterocyclic cis/trans-dihydrodiols were also studied. The relatively stable heterocyclic dihydrodiols of benzo[b]thiophene and benzo[b]furan showed a strong preference for the trans configuration in aqueous solutions. The 2,3-dihydrodiol metabolite of benzo[b]thiophene was utilized as a precursor in the chemoenzymatic synthesis of the unstable arene oxide, benzo[b]thiophene 2,3-oxide.     

Indolobenzo[b] furans. 2. Some indolo[5,6-d]- and indolo[5,4-d] benzo[b]furans

The reactivities of new heterocyclic systems, viz., indolo [5,6-d]- and indolo[5,4-d]benzo[b]furans, in several electrophilic-substitution reactions (the Mannich and Vilsmeier reactions and acylation) were studied. It was established that the indicated heterocycles, like indole, are readily formylated and aminomethylated; some anomalies are observed only in the case of acylation.See [1] for Communication 1.Translated from Kihimiya Geterotsiklicheskikh Soedinenii, No. 3, pp. 355–358, March, 1985.     

Reductive photocyclization of benzo[b]furans and their analogs

The UV irradiation of substituted 2,3-diphenylbenzo[b]furans and of 2,3-diphenyl-5-t-butylfuran in n-propylamine gives 1,4-dihydro derivatives of the corresponding aromatic cyclized compounds. This reaction does not involve a photoreduction. It can be concluded from deuterium labelling experiments that H atoms of the alkyl chain of n-propylamine are incorporated in the product. When the solvent is not an unhindered primary amine, only totally aromatic photocyclized products are obtained. It is proposed that hydrogens eliminated during formation of the isolated compounds are released in a reductive form and not as radicals. This is supported by the fact that acenaphthylene is reduced when irradiated in n-propylamine together with 2,3-diphenylbenzo[b]furan under conditions which do not promote, photoreduction. This seems to be a general finding in that the irradiation of stilbene in n-propylamine to acenaphthylene is the same as that of 2,3-diphenylbenzo[b]furan.     

Synthesis of benzo[b]furans via CuI-catalyzed ring closure

A wide variety of benzo[b]furans were synthesized efficiently via a CuI-catalyzed ring closure of 2-haloaromatic ketones. The methodology was tolerant to various functional groups, affording benzofurans in 72-99% yields.     

New domino approach for the synthesis of 2,3-disubstituted benzo[b]furans via copper-catalyzed multi-component coupling reactions followed by cyclization

An efficient domino process for the construction of 2,3-disubstituted benzo[b]furans has been developed via copper-catalyzed three-component coupling reactions of salicylaldehydes, amines, and alkynes followed by base-assisted O-annulation reaction.     

Tungsten-catalyzed heterocycloisomerization approach to 4,5-dihydro-benzo[b]furans and -indoles

A W(CO)(5)·THF-catalyzed cycloisomerization of bicyclo[4.1.0] substrates to afford mono C4-substituted 4,5-dihydro-benzo[b]furans and -indoles is reported. The title compounds are versatile intermediates that lead to a range of fused bicycles including the cores of various furan-, benzofuran-, and indole-containing natural products. In many cases, the functionalization of the dihydro-benzo[b]furans and -indoles is orthogonal to that of the corresponding benzofurans and indoles and, thus, offers complementary approaches for synthesis.     

Synthesis and in vitro cytotoxic evaluation of N-substituted benzo[5,6]cycloheptal[b]indoles

A new series of V-substituted benzo[5,6]cyclohepta[b]indole derivatives were synthesised and evaluated for in vitro cytotoxic activities against L1210 murine leukemia and HT29 cell lines. Among them, several compounds showed potent antitumor activity and blocked cell cycle progression of L1210 cells in G2+M phase.     

A new and efficient synthesis of 4-functionalized benzo[b]furans from 2,3-dihalophenols

Tandem Sonogashira coupling/5-endo-dig cyclization reactions on 2,3-dihalophenols suppose a straightforward entry to 4-halobenzo[b]furans, which can be easily transformed into 4-functionalized benzo[b]furans, that are difficult to synthesize by other procedures. On the other hand, the starting 2,3-dihalophenols are efficiently prepared from commercially available 3-halophenols, via their N,N-diethyl carbamates by selective lithiation at the 2-positions by treatment with s-BuLi/TMEDA or LDA at low temperature and reaction with halogen electrophilic reagents.     

New benzo[b]furans as electroluminescent materials for emitting blue light

[structure: see text] New functionalized mono- and bis-benzo[b]furan derivatives were synthesized and developed as blue-light emitting materials. They possessed a CN, CHO, CH=CHPh, CH=CPh(2), or CH=CHCOOH group at the C4-position. Two benzo[b]furan nuclei in bis-benzo[b]furan derivatives were connected by a divinylbenzene bridge. With good volatility and thermal stability, bis-benzo[b]furan 7a was fabricated as a device. It emitted blue light with brightness 53430 cd/m(2) (at 15.5 V) and high maximum external quantum efficiency 3.75% (at 11 V).     

2-Amino-3-(benzimidazol-2-yl)benzo[b]furans

The corresponding 2-amino-3-(benzimidazol-2-yl)benzo[b]furans were obtained by reaction of 2,3,5-trimethyl-1,4-benzoquinone with 2-cyanomethylbenzimidazoles. It is shown that new benzo[b]furo[2′,3′∶4,5]pyrimido[1,6-a]benzimidazole polynuclear heterocyclic systems (bases and quaternary salts) are formed in the reaction of these products with acylating agents. Translated from Khimiya Geterotsiklicheskikh Soedinenii, No. 2, pp. 164–166, February, 1980.     

A Photochemical Route to 2-Substituted Benzo[b]furans

2-Substituted benzo[b]furans were synthesized by a one-step metal-free photochemical reaction between 2-chlorophenol derivatives and terminal alkynes by tandem formation of an aryl-C and a C-O bond via an aryl cation intermediate. The mild conditions and the application to chlorophenols rather of the more expensive bromo or iodo analogues makes this procedure environmentally convenient.     

The synthesis of benzo[b]phenanthro[d]thiophenes and anthra[b]benzo[d]thiophenes

The synthesis of benzo[b]phenanthro[2, 3-d]thiophene ( 5 ), benzo[b]phenanthro[4, 3-d]thiophene ( 6 ), benzo-[b]phenanthro[2, 1-d]thiophene ( 9 ), benzo[b]phenanthro[3, 2-d]thiophene ( 14a ), anthra[1, 2-b]benzo[d]thiophene ( 24 ), anthra[2, 3-b]benzo[d]thiophene ( 29 ) and anthra[2, 1-b]benzo[d]thiophene ( 30 ) is described as well as the preparation of 13-methylbenzo[b]phenanthro[3, 2-d]thiophene ( 14b ).     

New reaction of benzo[b]thieno[3,2-b]benzo[b]thiophene disulfone

A new reaction of benzo[b]thieno[3,2-b]benzo[b]thiophene disulfone with amines that takes place with opening of one of the thiophene rings and nucleophilic substitution in the heteroaromatic ring at the site of cleavage of the S-C bond was observed. The molecular structures of the products of amination of the disulfone were determined by x-ray diffraction analysis. Hydrolysis and dehydration of the amination products gave derivatives of a new heterocyclic system, viz., benzo[b]-thieno[3,2-e]benzo[c]-1,2-oxathiin. Translated from Khimiya Geterotsiklicheskikh Soedinenii, No. 3, pp. 320–323, March, 1980.     

Solid-phase synthesis of 2,3-disubstituted benzo[b]thiophenes and benzo[b]selenophenes

A concise and efficient solid-phase synthesis of benzo[b]thiophenes and benzo[b]selenophenes based on a combination of palladium-mediated coupling and iodocyclization protocols has been developed.     

Synthesis of 2,3-disubstituted benzo[b]furans by the palladium-catalyzed coupling of o-iodoanisoles and terminal alkynes, followed by electrophilic cyclization

[reaction: see text] 2,3-Disubstituted benzo[b]furans are readily prepared under very mild reaction conditions by the palladium/copper-catalyzed cross-coupling of various o-iodoanisoles and terminal alkynes, followed by electrophilic cyclization with I2, PhSeCl, or p-O2NC6H4SCl. Aryl- and vinylic-substituted alkynes undergo electrophilic cyclization in excellent yields. Biologically important furopyridines can be prepared by this approach in high yields.     

1H NMR spectra of benzo[b]furan,benzo[b]thiophene and benzo[b]selenophene oriented in a lyotropic mesophase

The proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectra of benzo[b]-furan, -thiophene and -selenophene oriented in a potassium laurate lyotropic liquid crystal have been analyzed. Geometrical information has been obtained and compared to previous thermotropic results and various hypothetical models.     

Palladium-catalyzed C-S coupling: access to thioethers, benzo[b]thiophenes, and thieno[3,2-b]thiophenes

The first C-S bond formation/cross-coupling/cyclization domino reaction using thiourea as a cheap and easy to handle dihydrosulfide surrogate has been developed. Structurally important biarylthioether, benzo[b]thiophenes, and thieno[3,2-b]thiophene scaffolds are provided in high yield.     

TiCl4-catalyzed indirect anti-Markovnikov hydration of alkynes: application to the synthesis of benzo[b]furans

An efficient methodology for the indirect anti-Markovnikov hydration of unsymmetrically substituted terminal and internal alkynes is based on TiCl4-catalyzed hydroamination reactions. Its application to ortho-alkynylhaloarenes, followed by a copper-catalyzed O-arylation, provides flexible access to substituted benzo[b]furans.     

K-region oxides and imines of benzo[b]phenanthro[2,3-d]thiophene and benzo[b]phenanthro[3,2-d]thiophene

The syntheses of the K-oxides and K-imine derivatives of benzo[b]phenanthro[2,3-d]thiophene and benzo-[b]phenanthro[3,2-d]thiophene are described. The parent hydrocarbons 1 and 2 were oxidized with osmium tetroxide and sodium metaperiodate, and the dialdehydes 12 and 18 so formed, cyclized to the corresponding epoxides 1a,12b-dihydrobenz[b]oxireno[9,10]phenanthro[2,3-d]thiophene ( 7 ) and 1a,12b-dihydrobenz-[b]oxireno[9,10]phenanthro[3,2-d]thiophene ( 13 ). Reaction of the oxiranes with sodium azide gave mixtures of azido-alcohols that, in turn, were transformed to the thiaarene imines 1a,12b-dihydro-1H-benz[b]azirino-[9,10]phenanthro[2,3-d]thiophene ( 8 ) and 1a,12b-dihydro-1H-benz[b]azirino[9,10]phenanthro[3,2-d]thiophene ( 14 ), respectively, with the aid of tri-n-butylphosphine.