2-Halomethyl derivatives of 3-functionalized 5-tert-butylfurans are phosphorylated under conditions of the Michaelis-Becker and Arbuzov reactions similarly to other halomethylfurans. No effect of the tert-butyl substituent on the yield of the reaction products was found in this case. Contrary to that, the 2-methoxymethyl derivative of 3-chloromethyl-5-tert-butylfuran proved to be more thermostable than its analog containing no tert-butyl substituent. As a result, the yield of phosphonate in the Michaelis-Becker reaction under similar conditions increases 2.5 times. The observed stabilization of the furan ring is explained by shielding of its oxygen atom by the tert-butyl group.
2-Halomethyl derivatives of 3-functionalized 5-tert-butylfurans are phosphorylated under conditions of the Michaelis-Becker and Arbuzov reactions similarly to other halomethylfurans. No effect of the tert-butyl substituent on the yield of the reaction products was found in this case. Contrary to that, the 2-methoxymethyl derivative of 3-chloromethyl-5-tert-butylfuran proved to be more thermostable than its analog containing no tert-butyl substituent. As a result, the yield of phosphonate in the Michaelis-Becker reaction under similar conditions increases 2.5 times. The observed stabilization of the furan ring is explained by shielding of its oxygen atom by the tert-butyl group.
Reduction of 2- and 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 involved in 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 H-1 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.