Convenient synthesis of polysubstituted benzofurans

ORGN 753

Vidyasagar Vuligonda, vuligonda_vidyasagar@allergan.com, Ling Li, Thong Vu, Richard L. Beard, and Michael E. Garst. Discovery Research, Department of Chemistry, Allergan Pharmaceuticals, 2525 Dupont Drive, Mail Code: RD3-3C, Irvine, CA 92612
Benzofurans and substituted benzofurans are important organic molecules due to their presence in the pharmaceuticals and in various natural products. There are several methods reported for the synthesis of these molecules in the literature. In our research project we needed these substituted benzofurans which could not be obtained by the available synthetic methods reported or the starting materials were not readily available, especially in the preparation of hindered substituents like 2-alkyl, 3-t-butyl benzofurans. We have synthesized these molecules employing an SN2 displacement reaction to link the C-2 and C-3 of the benzofuran skeleton. Starting from the substituted salicylic acids and Ą-bromo alkanoic acid esters we have synthesized the various substituted benzofurans in moderate to high yields. We will report on the syntheses of the various intermediate salicylic acids and the targeted benzofuran molecules.