Influence of Lewis acids on the Diels–Alder reaction. II. Rearrangement of 1- and 1,4-substituted diethyl 7-oxabicyclo[2•2•1]2,5-heptadiene-2,3-dicarboxylate adducts to 4- and 4,6-substituted diethyl 3-hydroxyphthalates

Abstract

Direct formation of 4- or 4,6-alkyl and aryl substituted diethyl 3-hydroxyphthalates from the correspondingly substituted Diels–Alder adducts of 2- or 2,5-substituted furans and diethyl acetylenedicarboxylate is promoted by AlCl3 in CH2Cl2 at room temperature. The first adduct of 2,5-diphenylfuran to be isolated has been obtained from the same reaction at −20°. The aromatic compounds can be obtained alternatively by treating the adducts with BF3 or H2SO4: where the adducts can be prepared by conventional means this two-step procedure has resulted in greatly improved yields. Adducts of furan and furfuryl alcohol are similarly converted to substituted phenols. HCl effected conversion only in the case of adducts carrying a bridgehead aryl substituent; in all other cases HCl added to the substituted double bond. The mechanism of the adduct rearrangement is discussed.