2,3- and 3,4-Bis(diethoxyphosphorylmethyl)-5-tert-butylfurans

Reduction of 2-, 4-acetoxymethyl derivatives of 5-tert-butylfuran-3-carboxylic acid leads to the corresponding bis(hydroxymethyl)furans. Bis(chloromethyl)furans prepared from the latter were involvedin reaction with sodium diethyl phosphite. In the presence of two equivalents of a phosphorus-containing nucleophile, bis(phosphonomethyl)furans are formed. One equivalent of sodium diethyl phosphite reacts with 3,4-bis(chloromethyl)furan to give a mixture of 3-and 4-phosphorylated products in a 4.5:1 ratio in a low yield. The revealed difference in reactivity between the 3- and 4-chloromethyl groups demonstrates the importance of shielding of the chloromethyl group by the neighboring tert-butyl substituent. Examination of the ¹H NMR spectra of 3,4-bis(hydroxymethyl)-, 3,4-bis(chloromethyl)-, 3,4-bis(diethoxyphosphorylmethyl)-5-tert-butylfurans, and also specially prepared 5-tert-butyl-3-(diethoxyphosphorylmethyl)-4-(ethoxymethyl)-2-methylfuran established that the signal of the substituent neighboring to the tert-butyl group is always shifted downfield.