Synthesis of 3-Alkylbenzoxazolones from <i>N</i>-Alkyl-<i>N</i>-arylhydroxylamines by Contiguous <i>O</i>-Trichloroacetylation, Trichloroacetoxy <i>ortho</i>-Shift, and Cyclization Sequence
作者:Ram N. Ram、Vineet Kumar Soni
DOI:10.1021/jo401985h
日期:2013.12.6
Benzoxazolone pharmacophore is present in clinical pharmaceuticals, drug candidates, and many compounds having a wide spectrum of biological activities. The methods available for the synthesis of benzoxazolones have limited diversity due to problems in accessibility and air-sensitivity of diversely substituted o-aminophenols from which they are generally prepared by cyclocarbonylation with phosgene or its equivalents. The present paper describes a mild method for the synthesis of 3-alkylbenzoxazolones from easily accessible and air-stable nitroarenes. Nitroarenes were converted to N-alkyl-N-arylhydroxylamines in two steps involving partial reduction to arylhydroxylamines followed by selective N-alkylation. Treatment of N-alkyl-N-arylhydroxylamines with trichloroacetyl chloride and triethylamine afforded 3-alkylbenzoxazolones generally in good yields through an uninterrupted three-step sequence involving O-trichloroacetylation, N -> C-ortho trichloroacetoxy shift, and cyclization in a single pot at ambient temperatures. The present method is mild, wide in scope, economical, and regioselective. Many sensitive groups like alkyl and aryl esters, amide, cyano, and the carbon-carbon double bond survive the reaction.