Reactions of polyfluorinated thietanes: Selective synthesis of 4-R-2,2-bis(trifluoromethyl)thietane-1-S-oxides and 2-substituted 5-fluoro-4-(trifluoromethyl)-2,3-dihydrothiophenes

Oxidation of 4-substituted 2,2-bis(trifluoromethyl)thietanes by m-chloroperoxybenzoic acid results in selective formation of the corresponding S-oxides in 65-86% yield. Oxidation of 4-C₂H₅S-2,2-bis(trifluoromethyl)thietane under mild conditions led to selective formation of 4-C₂H₅SO₂-2,2-bis(trifluoromethyl)thietane, which under more rigorous conditions was selectively converted into trans-4-C₂H₅SO₂-2,2-bis(trifluoromethyl)thietane-1-S-oxide. Reaction of 4-substituted 2,2-bis(trifluoromethyl)thietanes with activated aluminum powder results in a highly selective ring expansion process, producing the corresponding 5-fluoro-4-(trifluoromethyl)-2,3-dihydro-2-alkoxythiophenes in 58-93% yield. These compounds were also prepared in 61-85% yield using a “one-pot” procedure, starting from sulfur, hexafluoropropene and the corresponding vinyl ether without isolation of any intermediates. Both 2-i-C₃H₇O- and 2-t-C₄H₉O- 5-fluoro-4-(trifluoromethyl)-2,3-dihydrothiophenes were converted into 2-fluoro-3-trifluormethylthiophene by reaction with P₂O₅.     

Fluorinated pyridine derivatives: Part 1. The synthesis of some mono- and bis-quaternary pyridine salts of potential use in the treatment of nerve agent poisoning

Experiments were performed to determine whether F- and CF₃-substituted pyridines undergo quaternization with iodomethane (1:1 molar ratio in THF) and 1,3-diiodopropane (2:1 molar ratio in MeCN). 2-Fluoropyridine and 2-(trifluoromethyl)pyridine did not react with MeI even under prolonged reflux, while 3-fluoropyridine, 3,5-difluoropyridine, 3-(trifluoromethyl)pyridine and 4-(trifluoromethyl)pyridine gave methiodide salts in 28-72% yield. 2-Fluoropyridine did not react with I(CH₂)₃I, 3-fluoropyridine gave the bis-quaternary salt and 3,5-difluoropyridine yielded a mono-quaternary derivative. Both 3- and 4-(trifluoromethyl)pyridine furnished the bis-quaternary products in 53 and 55% yield, respectively. The bis-quaternary salts are potentially useful in the treatment of organophosphorus nerve agent poisoning.     

Convenient synthesis of 3-fluoro-4,5-diphenylfuran-2(5H)-one from benzoin ethers : Novel and efficient Z-E isomerisation and cyclisation of 2-fluoroalkenoate precursors, substitution of vinylic fluorine

Mixtures of ethyl (E)- and (Z)-4-alkoxy-2-fluoro-3,4-diphenylbut-2-enoates (6-8) prepared from benzoin ethers and ethyl 2-(diethoxyphosphoryl)-2-fluoroacetate were transformed in high yields to the target 3-fluoro-4,5-diphenylfuran-2(5H)-one (14) using bromine in tetrachloromethane at room temperature. The non-cyclisable Z-isomers 6b-8b were gradually isomerised to the cyclisable E-isomers 6a-8a during the process. The reaction of the (E)-butenoates 6a-8a with boron trifluoride led to furanone 14, while in Z-isomers 6b-8b both alkoxy group and vinylic fluorine were substituted with bromine during the reaction. Mechanisms for both complex reactions have been proposed. Furanone 14 was transformed to 2-[tert-butyl(dimethyl)silyloxy]-3-fluoro-4,5-diphenylfuran (18) as a novel building block.     

Sodium dithionite initiated addition of CF2Br2, CF3I and (CF3)2CFI to allylaromatics: Synthesis and the reactivity of 4-aryl-1,1-difluorodienes and 4-aryl-1,1-bis(trifluoromethyl)dienes

Sodium dithionite initiated addition of CF₂Br₂, CF₃I and (CF₃)₂CFI to the terminal double bond of allylbenzenes and of (CF₃)₂CFI to allylpyridines in a MeCN/H₂O system were investigated. The reactions of CF₂Br₂ with allylbenzenes gave comparable amounts of adducts, 1-(2,4-dibromo-4,4-difluorobutyl)benzenes, debrominated products,1-(4-bromo-4,4-difluorobutyl)benzenes, and dimeric compounds in total yields 40-66%. Treatment of the adducts with DBU resulted in double dehydrohalogenation affording 4-aryl-1,1-difluorobutadienes which undergo Diels-Alder condensation with nitrogen dienophiles to give N-heterocycles with difluoromethylene group in the ring. The reactions of CF₃I and (CF₃)₂CFI with allylbenzenes gave the respective adducts, (4,4,4-trifluoro-2-iodobutyl)benzenes and 1-(4,5,5,5-tetrafluoro-4-(trifluoromethyl)-2-iodopentyl)benzenes as the main products. Dehydrohalogenation of these adducts resulted, respectively, in (4,4,4-trifluoro-but-1-enyl)benzenes and 4-aryl-1,1-bis(trifluoromethyl)butadienes in high yields. (CF₃)₂CFI reacted rapidly with allylpyridines to give mixtures from which, after treatment with DBU, 4-pyridyl-1,1-bis(trifluoromethyl)butadienes were isolated in a ca. 60% yield.     

Cyclocondensation reaction of 4-aryl-4-methoxy-1,1,1-trifluoro-3-buten-2-ones with urea: Synthesis of novel 6-aryl(5-methyl)-4-trifluoromethyl-2(1H)-pyrimidinones

The synthesis of a novel series of eleven 6-aryl(5-methyl)-4-trifluoromethyl-2(1H)-pyrimidinones, where aryl=Ph, 4-CH₃Ph, 4-FPh, 4-ClPh, 4-BrPh, 4-OCH₃Ph and alkyl=H, CH₃, from the reaction of 4-aryl-4-methoxy-1,1,1-trifluoro-3-buten-2-ones with urea in the presence of hydrochloric acid, is reported. Trifluoroacetylation of acetophenone- and propiophenone-dimethylacetals derived from phenones, was employed to obtain the precursors.