Efficient and selective iron-mediated reductive Claisen rearrangement of propargyloxyanthraquinones to anthrafurandiones in ionic liquids

Abstract

An efficient and rapid method is described for the reductive Claisen rearrangement of different propargyloxyanthraquinones to anthra[1,2-b]furan-6,11-diones for first time using iron powder in a mixture of two ionic liquids, namely 1-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate [Hmim]BF4 and 1-benzyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride [Bzmim]Cl. The present method is able to execute single or double Claisen rearrangements of 1,4- or 1,5-bispropargyloxyanthraquinones selectively, so that the desired anthra(mono)furandiones or anthra(bis)furandiones are produced, respectively, as the major product.