The Behavior of Certain Coumarins and Furocoumarins Toward Sulfur Reagents

The behavior of 4-hydroxycoumarin (1), 7-hydroxycoumarin (2), 4-hydroxy-bergapten (3), and 4-hydroxyisopimpinellin (4) toward sulfur reagents, namely, thionyl chloride, phosphorus pentasulfide, thiolacetic acid, and Lawesson's reagent (5), was studied. The nature of products in each case depended upon the type of reactants and reaction conditions. Possible reaction mechanisms were considered, and structural elucidations of the new products were based upon compatible elementary and spectroscopic evidences.