Synthesis of 8-substituted naphtho[2,1-b]thiophenes with cationic side chains at position 4

A series of five 8-substituted α-[bis(2-hydroxyethyi)aminoethyl]naphtho[2,1-b]thiophenes 7 and a series of seven N-(3-dimethylaminopropyl)-8-substituted naphtho[2,1-b]thiophene-4-carboxamides 8 have been synthesized. The naphtho[2,1-b]thiophene-4-carboxylic acids 4 were prepared by photooxidative cyclization of α-(2-thienyi)-β-arylacrylic acids 3. The carboxylic acids 4 were converted by a conventional five step route involving α-bromoketone intermediates to the a-[bis(2-hydroxyethyl)aminomethyl]-8-substituted naphtho-[2,1-6]thiophene-4-methanols 7 and by a standard two-step amide preparation to the N-(3-dimethylaminopropyl)-8-substituted naphtho[2,1-6]thiophene-4-carboxamides 8 .