Synthesis and reactions of 7-fluoro-4-methyl-6-nitro-2-oxo-2H-1-benzopyran-3-carboxylic acid: a novel scaffold for combinatorial synthesis of coumarins

7-Fluoro-4-methyl-6-nitro-2-oxo-2H-1-benzopyran-3-carboxylic acid has been prepared as a novel scaffold for combinatorial synthesis of coumarins. The scaffold has three points of diversity. The optimal conditions for its reactions with different nucleophiles in solid phase were obtained. Sixteen coumarin derivatives with different structures were designed and synthesized in solid phase to demonstrate its application as a scaffold for combinatorial synthesis of coumarins. Thirteen of these derivatives were obtained in high yields. Many of these model compounds fluoresce. Combinatorial libraries constructed with this novel scaffold may have interesting biological or physical properties.