Site-specific preparation of 4-substituted-6-fluoro(carboalkoxyl)benzo[b]furans and benzo[b]thiophenes via base-catalyzed cyclization of enyne derivatives

A site-specific synthesis of 4-substituted-6-fluoro(carboalkoxyl)benzo[b]furans and benzo[b]thiophenes is described. The reactions of heterocyclic aromatic aldehydes with a Wittig reagent, followed by Sonogashira reaction with terminal alkynes, and subsequent base-catalyzed cyclization site-specifically provide 4-substituted-6-fluoro(carboalkoxyl)benzo[b]furans and benzo[b]thiophenes in good yields.     

A new approach to desketoraloxifene analogs from oxygen-bearing 3-iodobenzo[b]thiophenes prepared via iodocyclization

A formal total synthesis of the benzothiophene selective estrogen receptor modulator (SERM) desketoraloxifene and analogs has been accomplished from alkynes bearing electron-rich aromatic rings by electrophilic cyclization using I₂. This approach affords oxygen-bearing 3-iodobenzo[b]thiophenes in excellent yields, which are easily further elaborated using a two-step approach involving Suzuki-Miyaura and Mitsunobu coupling reactions.     

Visible‐Light‐Induced [4+2] Annulation of Thiophenes and Alkynes to Construct Benzene Rings

The [4+2] annulation represents an elegant and versatile synthetic protocol for the construction of benzene rings. Herein, a strategy for visible‐light induced [4+2] annulation of thiophenes and alkynes, to afford benzene rings, is presented. Under simple and mild reaction conditions, the ready availability and structural diversity of thiophenes and alkynes permit the facile synthesis of several substituted aromatic rings. Valuable drugs and amino acids are also well tolerated. Moreover, DFT calculations explain the high regioselectivity of the reaction.     

Palladium-catalyzed three-component domino reaction for the preparation of benzo[b]thiophene and related compounds

A simple and efficient palladium-catalyzed three-component domino reaction of bromothiophenes with internal alkynes has been developed to produce benzo[b]thiophenes in moderate to good yields.     

Synthesis of tetrasubstituted thiophenes from pyridinium 1,4-zwitterionic thiolates and modified activated alkynes

Pyridinium 1,4-zwitterionic thiolates were applied to a formal [3 + 2] annulation reaction with modified activated alkynes, affording various tetrasubstituted thiophenes with aryl, alkenyl, alkyl or silyl group at the special position. The structural modification of alkyne substrates enabled the synthesis of diverse thiophenes to be achieved using the pyridinium 1,4-zwitterionic thiolates as the sulfur-containing building blocks. This approach is metal-free and catalyst-free.     

Strain‐Promoted 1,3‐Dithiolium‐4‐olates–Alkyne Cycloaddition

Reported here is the reactivity of mesoionic 1,3‐dithiolium‐4‐olates towards strained alkynes, leading to thiophene cycloaddition products. In the process, the potential of these dipoles towards orthogonal reaction with azides, allowing efficient double ligation reactions, was discovered. A versatile process to access benzo[c]thiophenes, in an unprecedented divergent fashion, was developed and provides a new entry to unconventional polyaromatic thiophenes.     

Dithioannulation of Alkynes

A direct method for the preparation of 2,3-diphenyl-1,4-dithiins has been developed. The process involves treating alkynes with nickel bisdiphenyl-dithiolene in refluxing chlorobenzene in the presence of pyridine. Pyridine appears to be essential in order to avoid further transformation of 1,4-dithiins to thiophenes.     

Facile synthesis and functionalization of fluoranthenes via intramolecular [4 + 2] annulations between thiophenes and alkynes

Fluoranthenes have attracted tremendous attention due to their unique optoelectronic properties and extensive applications. Although several synthetic methodologies have been developed for the preparation of fluoranthene derivatives, it is still unfavorable to functionalize the fluoranthene framework at different positions due to the relatively low selectivity and reactivity. Herein, a catalyst-free intramolecular [4 + 2] annulation between thiophenes and alkynes is developed towards the synthesis of fluoranthenes. Altogether 20 examples have been demonstrated using this method. Various functional groups can be precisely introduced into the fluoranthene skeleton at different positions by simply tuning the substituents on the thiophenes and alkynes. The conjugation of the fluoranthene can be facilely extended through different directions. Furthermore, the feasibility of this [4 + 2] annulation reaction is also investigated by density functional theory calculations. Therefore, this protocol provides not only a synthetic methodology towards fluoranthenes with substituents functionalized at different positions, but also an effective pathway to construct large polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons containing fluoranthene moieties.     

A metal-free,one-pot route to substituted benzo[b]thiophenes and their hetero-fused analogs via iodine mediated intramolecular arylthiolation of in situ generated β-(het)aryl-β-cyanoenethiolates

A metal-free one-pot route to substituted 3-cyanobenzo[b]thiophenes has been developed via iodine mediated intramolecular arylthiolation of 2-(het)aryl-2-cyanoenethiolates generated in situ by base mediated condensation of arylacetonitriles and (het)aryl dithioesters. The methodology has been further extended to the synthesis of 2-aminobenzo[b]thiophenes as well as hetero-fused thiophenes such as thieno[2,3-b]thiophenes, thieno[2,3-b]indoles and thieno[3,2-c]pyrazoles. An electrophilic cyclization mechanism has been proposed based on experimental observations.     

Action of alkali metals in liquid ammonia on substituted thiophenes

The action of lithium and alcohols in liquid ammonia on α-substituted thiophenes with subsequent hydrolysis of the products leads to conversion of the thiophene fragment of the molecule to a butyryl group. A number of amino ketones of the aliphatic series were obtained from α-(ω-dialkylaminoalkyl)thiophenes.     

Direct alkylation of thiophenes via bis-coupling with vinyl acetates

A novel direct alkylation of thiophenes via bis-coupling with vinyl acetates has been developed. To the best of our knowledge, this represents the first report of the iron-catalysed coupling of two thiophenes with vinyl groups. Utilizing earth-abundant, inexpensive, and non-toxic iron catalysts, this methodology converts simple thiophenes to symmetrical dithienylethane derivatives under mild conditions in one step.     

Palladium-catalyzed carbonylative annulation of terminal alkynes: synthesis of coumarins and 2-quinolones

o-Iodophenols and o-iodoaniline derivatives react with terminal alkynes under 1 atm of CO in the presence of pyridine and catalytic amounts of Pd(OAc)₂ to generate coumarins and 2-quinolones, respectively, as the only products. Terminal alkynes bearing alkyl, aryl, silyl, hydroxyl, ester and cyano substituents are effective in these processes affording the desired products in moderate yields. The formation of coumarins and 2-quinolones in this process is in stark contrast with all previously described palladium-catalyzed reactions of o-iodophenols or o-iodoanilines with terminal alkynes and CO, which have afforded chromones and 4-quinolones. Moreover, under our reaction conditions terminal alkynes insert into the carbonpalladium bond instead of undergoing a Sonogashira-type coupling as confirmed by an isotope labeling experiment.     

Light-Induced Synthesis of Thiolanes and 2,3-Dihydrothiophenes by Addition of (E)-4-Mercapto-2-butenoates to Alkenes or Alkynes

Irradiation (λ=300 mm) of methyl 4-mercaptocrotonate ( 2a ) in the presence of alkenes of alkynes affords methyl 3-thiolaneacetates 7 and methyl 2,3-dihydro-3-thiopheneacetates 13 . The unsaturated heterocycles 13 undergo further light-induced isomerization to methyl 2,3-dihydro-2-thiopheneacetates 15 . Both 13 and 15 are readily dehydrogenated to thiophenes 17 and 18 , respectively.     

Synthesis of new quinuclidine derivatives via Pd-mediated cross-coupling and cross-benzannulation reactions

New functionalized quinuclidines were prepared via palladium-catalyzed addition reactions of terminal alkynes (donors) to internal alkynes (acceptors). The enantiopure terminal alkynes were derivatives of quincoridine and quincorine, two semi-natural Cinchona alkaloids. The processes exhibited high chemoselectivity and excellent diastereoselectivity, the E-enynes being obtained as single products in almost all cases. The synthesis of new tetra and pentasubstituted benzene derivatives in good yields by [2+2+2] benzannulation of the diynes, obtained by the palladium-catalyzed homodimerization of 10,11-didehydro quincoridine and 10,11-didehydro quincorine, with terminal alkynes and in fair yield by [4+2] benzannulation of an enyne derivative of 10,11-didehydro quincoridine with 2,4-hexane-diyne are reported.     

Alkenylation of thiophenes at the 2-position with magnesium alkylidene carbenoids

Treatment of magnesium alkylidene carbenoids, generated from 1-chlorovinyl p-tolyl sulfoxides with isopropylmagnesium chloride at −78 °C in toluene, with 2-lithiothiophenes gave 2-alkenylated thiophenes in good to high yields. The intermediate of this reaction was found to be an alkenylmagnesium, which could be trapped with iodoalkanes and ethyl chloroformate. This procedure offers a novel and efficient one-pot synthesis of thiophenes having a disubstituted or a trisubstituted olefin at the 2-position from thiophenes in good yields.     

Use of 1,3-dipolar reactions for the preparation of SF5-substituted five-membered ring heterocycles. Pyrroles and thiophenes

In situ-generated unsubstituted, “parent” azomethine and thiocarbonyl ylides are used to prepare a large variety of 3-aryl- and alkyl-substituted, 4-pentafluorosulfanylpyrroles and 3-aryl-substituted, 4-pentafluorosulfanylthiophenes, the latter of which are to our knowledge the first reported SF₅-substituted thiophenes. The 1,3-cycloadditions of these ylides with aryl and alkyl, SF₅-alkynes produce dihydro-pyrroles and thiophenes, which without isolation can then be oxidatively aromatized to the respective pentafluorosulfanylpyrroles and thiophenes in good yield.     

Ti(NMe2)4-catalyzed Markovnikov hydroamination of alkynes in the presence of N-heterocyclic carbenes and LiN(SiMe3)2

Intermolecular hydroamination of alkynes catalyzed by Ti(NMe₂)₄ was much improved with N-heterocyclic carbenes and LiN(SiMe₃)₂, by which high Markovnikov selectivity was attained for the coupling of nearly all alkynes and amines.     

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.     

Palladium-catalyzed alkenation of thiophenes and furans by regioselective C-H bond functionalization

A palladium-catalyzed direct alkenation of thiophenes and furans has been developed in the presence of AgOAc and pyridine. A variety of olefinic substrates such as acrylates, acrylamides, and acrylonitrile can perform the direct oxidative coupling reactions with various thiophenes and furans to give the mono-alkenylated products in good yields. In most cases, the (E)-isomers were isolated as the major products.     

A convenient approach towards 2- and 3-aminobenzo[b]thiophenes

Reaction of 1-(2-chloro-5-nitrophenyl)ethanone via Willgerodt-Kindler route with primary or secondary amines and sulfur allows a simple, efficient one-pot synthesis of 3-aminobenzo[b]thiophenes. Base-catalyzed transformation of 4-(2-chloro-5-nitrophenyl)-1,2,3-thiadiazole in the presence of primary and secondary amines offers a convenient approach towards 2-aminobenzo[b]thiophenes.