FeCl3or MeSO3H-promoted multicomponent reactions for facile synthesis of structurally diverse furan analogues

Modular access to furo[3,2-c]chromen-4-ones via Yb(OTf)3-catalyzed [3 + 2] annulation of 4-hydroxycoumarins with β-nitroalkenes

A facile and efficient strategy for modular access to furo[3,2-c]chromen-4-ones using 4-hydroxycoumarin and β-nitroalkenes via Lewis acid-catalyzed formal [3 + 2] annulation protocol is described. This reaction proceeds via cascade Michael addition/nucleophilic addition/elimination in the presence of Yb(OTf)3, which involves the formation of two new σ (C-C and C-O) bonds for the construction of a novel furan ring in a single operation. This protocol affords a variety of functional groups, thereby providing a practical and efficient method for the fabrication of a furo[3,2-c]chromen-4-one framework.

Calcium-Catalyzed Synthesis of Fused Furo[2,3-b]furans and Substituted Furans from 2-Oxo Aldehydes and Cyclic Enols

We report here an atom-economical, syn-diastereoselective synthesis of naphtho-fused furo[2,3-b]furans along with naphthofurans at room temperature using readily available 2-naphthols and 2-oxo aldehydes using an alkaline earth catalyst [Ca(OTf)2]. 2-Oxo aldehydes having both aryl and alkyl substitutions reacted well. A good number of arenols responded to give fused furans, but selected arenols gave only furofurans. Synthetic applications and gram-scale synthesis were also demonstrated to strengthen this strategy.

Aryl glyoxal: a prime synthetic equivalent for multicomponent reactions in the designing of oxygen heterocycles

The category of bifunctional building blocks overrides many others because of their fascinating wide applicability in synthetic chemistry. Aryl glyoxal is one of the key molecules that has been extensively used in heterocyclic chemistry to afford nearly all types of five- and six-membered heterocycles, which are the structural constituents of many natural products. The multicomponent reaction is a practical strategy to utilize this wonderful moiety with different types of starting materials to obtain numerous diverse oxygen heterocycles. This review covers the advancement of aryl glyoxal as a prime synthetic equivalent in recent years for the synthesis of oxygen heterocycles.

New multicomponent reactions in water: a facile synthesis of 1,3-dioxo-2-indanilidene-heterocyclic scaffolds and indenoquinoxalines through reaction of ninhydrin-malononitrile adduct with diverse N-binucleophiles

We report here a highly efficient green approach for the synthesis of imidazolidin-2-ylidene-indenedione, pyrimidine-2-ylidene-indenedione and indenoquinoxaline derivatives through the one-pot three-component reaction between ninhydrin, malononitrile and various diamines in water medium under catalyst-free conditions. High yields (73-98%) of the target products were achieved with short reaction times at room temperature. Simple workup, no column chromatography, good to excellent yields, rapid reaction and green solvent are the prominent advantages of this protocol.

Multicomponent Assembly of Trisubstituted Imidazoles and Their Photochemical Cyclization into Fused Polyheterocyclic Scaffolds

A straightforward route to a large and diverse library of trisubstituted imidazoles was established via a three-component reaction of 2-oxoaldehydes, 1,3-dicarbonyl compounds, and acyclic nitrogen bis-nucleophiles. The obtained products were subsequently explored in a photochemical cyclization yielding a variety of imidazole-fused polycyclic compounds.

Silver-catalyzed C-3 arylthiodifluoromethylation and aryloxydifluoromethylation of coumarins

A facile silver-catalyzed oxidative decarboxylation of arylthiodifluoroacetic acids or aryloxydifluoroacetic acids with coumarins/quinoxalin-2(1H)-ones was developed. This transformation provided a series of C-3 aryloxydifluoromethylated or arylthiodifluoromethylated coumarins/quinoxalin-2(1H)-ones containing various functional groups in moderate to good yields, featuring good functional group tolerance, easily accessible starting materials and operational simplicity.

Sc(OTf)3-Mediated One-Pot Synthesis of Coumarin-Fused Furans: A Thiol-Dependent Reaction for the Easy Access of 2-Phenyl-4H-furo[3,2-c]chromen-4-ones

Herein, we report a simple and efficient method for the preparation of novel thioether-linked coumarin-fused furans from the one-pot three-component reaction of arylglyoxal, 4-hydroxycoumarin, and various aromatic thiols in the presence of Sc(OTf)₃ as a catalyst. This methodology is also applicable to cyclic 1,3-dicarbonyls such as cyclohexane-1,3-dione and dimedone. Depending upon the thiols, this methodology can either give a three-component thioether-linked coumarin-fused furan (4) or a two-component furocoumarin product (5). Wide substrate scope, good to excellent yields, and products having more than one pharmaceutically important motif are the salient features of this methodology.

Copper-catalyzed cascade radical cyclization of alkynoates: construction of aryldifluoromethylated coumarins

A mild and simple method is reported for the construction of 3-difluoroarylmethylated coumarins using α,α-difluoroarylacetic acids as an easily handled difluoromethyl source in reaction with ester 3-arylpropiolates under the promotion of copper. The reaction involves a proposed radical-triggered domino decarboxylative aryldifluoromethylation/5-exo cyclization/ester migration process that directly forms Csp²-CF₂Ar and C-C bonds with good functional group tolerance.

Furo[3,2-c]coumarins carrying carbon substituents at C-2 and/or C-3. Isolation, biological activity, synthesis and reaction mechanisms

The isolation, biological activity and synthesis of natural furo[3,2-c]coumarins are presented, covering mainly the developments in the last 35 years. The most relevant approaches toward the synthesis of 2-substituted, 3-substituted and 2,3-disubstituted heterocycles are also discussed, with emphasis on the efficiency of the processes and their mechanisms.

Synthesis of highly functionalized thiazolo[3,2-a]pyridine derivatives via a five-component cascade reaction based on nitroketene N,S-acetal

A highly efficient and straightforward synthesis of N-fused heterocyclic compounds including 5-amino-7-(aryl)-8-nitro-N'-(1-(aryl)ethylidene)-3,7-dihydro-2H-thiazolo[3,2-a]pyridine-6-carbohydrazide derivatives is successfully achieved via a five-component cascade reaction utilizing cyanoacetohydrazide, various acetophenones, aromatic aldehydes, 1,1-bis(methylthio)-2-nitroethylene and cysteamine hydrochloride in ethanol at reflux conditions. The new approach involves domino N,S-acetal formation, Knoevenagel condensation, Michael reaction, imine–enamine tautomerization and N-cyclization sequences. The prominent advantages of this protocol include: facility of operation, available and economical starting materials, no need for toxic solvents, high yields and tolerance of a wide variety of functional groups.

Easy construction of novel and highly substituted thiazolo[3,2-a]pyridine hydrazone compounds using keten N,S-acetals.

Fe(III)-Catalyzed Decarboxylative C3-Difluoroarylmethylation of Coumarins with α,α-Difluoroarylacetic Acids

A facile Fe(III)-catalyzed oxidative decarboxylative radical coupling reaction of α,α-difluoroarylacetic acids with coumarins has been developed. This transformation, which provides a series of C-3 difluoroarylmethylated coumarins containing various functional groups in moderate-to-good yields, features easily accessible starting materials and operational simplicity.

Three-component reaction of azulene, aryl glyoxal and 1,3-dicarbonyl compound for the synthesis of various azulene derivatives

A three-component reaction of an azulene, an aryl glyoxal and a 1,3-dicarbonyl compound has been elaborated to access a series of azulene derivatives. Some of these azulene-containing adducts were further subjected to post-MCR transformations to assemble azulene–heterocycle conjugates.

Three-component reaction of azulene, aryl glyoxal and 1,3-dicarbonyl compound and subsequent post-transformations provide access to three distinct types of azulene derivatives.

Water–DMSO-promoted one-pot synthesis of two new series of dihydropyrrolo[2,3-h]quinolines

Two new series of dihydropyrrolo[2,3-h]quinolines 4 and 6 were synthesized via a three-component reaction synergistically activated by water and DMSO, and new pyrrolo[2,3-h]quinolines 10 can be obtained by oxidation of 4 using Cu(NO₃)₂ as oxidant.

The molecular diversity scope of 4-hydroxycoumarin in the synthesis of heterocyclic compounds via multicomponent reactions

4-Hydroxycoumarins are some of the most versatile heterocyclic scaffolds and are frequently applied in the synthesis of various organic compounds. 4-Hydroxycoumarin-based compounds are important among heterocyclic structures due to their biological and pharmaceutical activities. In this study, we provide an overview on the recent applications of 4-hydroxycoumarin in multicomponent reactions for the synthesis of various heterocyclic compounds during the time period of 2015-2018.

An efficient and ecofriendly synthesis of highly functionalized pyridones via a one-pot three-component reaction

A simple and convenient protocol has been developed for the synthesis of N-amino-3-cyano-2-pyridone derivatives by a one-pot reaction of cyanoacetohydrazide, activated nitrile substrates (malononitrile, ethyl cyanoacetate, cyanoacetamide) and aromatic aldehydes in the presence of piperidine in water or a mixture of water and ethanol. The sequence of cascade reactions includes Knoevenagel condensation, Michael addition, intramolecular cyclization, imine-enamine tautomerization and oxidative aromatization. The main advantages of this procedure are availability of starting compounds, simple procedure, mild conditions, easy purification of products and the use of water or water/ethanol as green solvents.

The synthesis of HMF-based α-amino phosphonatesviaone-pot Kabachnik–Fields reaction

The first use of biomass-derived HMF in the one-pot Kabachnik–Fields reaction is reported here. A wide range of furan-based α-amino phosphonates were prepared in moderate to excellent yields under mild, effective and environmentally-benign conditions: iodine as a non-metal catalyst, biobased 2-MeTHF as the solvent and room or moderate temperature. The hydroxymethyl group of HMF persists in the Kabachnik–Fields products, widening the scope of further modification and derivatization compared to those arising from furfural. Issues involving the diastereoselectivity and double Kabachnik–Fields condensation were also faced.

A mild and efficient one-pot protocol for the synthesis of α-amino phosphonates directly from 5-HMF was described.