benzofurans and 1-3-cyclohexanedione

 This review describes our recent efforts to develop efficient methods for the synthesis of heterocyclic compounds, such as indoles and benzofurans, employing ring-opening cyclization of cyclohexane-1,3-dione-2-spirocyclopropanes, which were prepared by the reaction of 1,3-cyclohexanediones with sulfonium salts. Ring-opening cyclization of cyclohexane-1,3-dione-2-spirocyclopropanes with primary amines proceeded at room temperature to provide 2-substituted tetrahydroindol-4(5H)-ones in good to excellent yield. The obtained product was readily converted into a 2-substituted 4-hydroxyindole derivative. Furthermore, acid-catalyzed ring-opening cyclization of cyclohexane-1,3-dione-2-spirocyclopropanes proceeded smoothly at room temperature to provide 2-substituted tetrahydrobenzofuran-4(2H)-ones in excellent yield. The obtained product was converted into a 2-substituted 4-hydroxybenzofuran derivative. The synthetic utility of this catalytic protocol was demonstrated by the total synthesis of cuspidan B.

Topics: Amines; Benzofurans; Catalysis; Chemistry, Organic; Cyclization; Cyclohexanes; Cyclohexanones; Cyclopropanes; Heterocyclic Compounds; Indoles; Organic Chemistry Phenomena; Soy Foods; Stilbenes; Sulfonium Compounds

The Lewis acid-catalyzed domino 1,2-addition/1,4-addition/elimination between (Z)-3-hexene-2,5-dione and 1,3-dicarbonyls delivers 3-methyl-6,7-dihydrobenzofuran-4(5H)-ones exclusively with yields up to 82%. The combination of this new process with the laccase-catalyzed formation of (Z)-3-hexene-2,5-dione by oxidative cleavage of 2,5-dimethylfuran allows for the synthesis of 6,7-dihydrobenzofuran-4(5H)-ones starting directly from 2,5-dimethylfuran.

Topics: Benzofurans; Catalysis; Crystallography, X-Ray; Cyclohexanones; Furans; Laccase; Lewis Acids; Models, Molecular; Molecular Structure

An unprecedented domino synthesis of tetrahydrobenzofuran-4-ones is described implicating chemoselective alkylation of various 1,3-cyclohexanediones with bromocrotonate or crotonitrile followed by oxa-Michael cyclization. Further transformations of this core to reach molecular diversity are also presented.

Topics: Alkylation; Benzofurans; Crotonates; Crystallography, X-Ray; Cyclization; Cyclohexanones; Models, Molecular; Molecular Structure; Nitriles; Stereoisomerism

A newly synthesized experimental compound, EK-2612 is one of the class of cyclohexane-1,3-diones which are commonly known to be grasskillers. A greenhouse study was conducted to evaluate the herbicidal performances of EK-2612 on several grass species in comparison with tralkoxydim, a commercialized cyclohexanedione derivative. Like tralkoxydim, the compound EK-2612 showed excellent control efficacy on most grass weeds tested through foliar application rates between 250 and 63 g AI ha(-1). Unlike tralkoxydim, however, EK-2612 showed a good rice safety, and there was no rice damage observed at the level below 125 g AI ha(-1), while rice injury developed at the same application rates of tralkoxydim. With this rice safety, EK-2612 controlled barnyardgrass effectively up to the two-leaf stage under both submerged and dried paddy conditions. An in vitro ACCase assay indicated that EK-2612 is a strong ACCase inhibitor; however, the dose-response was not substantially different in rice and barnryardgrass, showing I50 values of 0.1 and 0.12 microM, respectively. These results suggest that the compound EK-2612 is targeting plant ACCase, but the whole-plant rice safety is not attributable to a different inhibition of the target site in rice from that in barnyardgrass.

Topics: Acetyl-CoA Carboxylase; Benzofurans; Cyclohexanones; Echinochloa; Herbicides; Imines; Oryza; Species Specificity