SYNTHESIS AND APPLICATION OF IMIDAZOLE DERIVATIVES. SYNTHESIS OF (1-METHYL-1H-IMIDAZOL-2-YL)METHANOL DERIVATIVES AND CONVERSION INTO CARBONYL COMPOUNDS
(1-methyl-2H-imidazol-2-yl)methanol derivatives ( 4 and 7 ) were prepared by treating carbonyl compounds with 2-lithio-1-methyl-1H-imidazole ( 2 ) or by treating 2-acyl-1H-imidazoles ( 3 ) with organometallic reagents or sodium borohydride.The alcohols ( 4 and 7 ) were convertible into the carbonyl compounds via the corresponding quaternary salts ( 8 and 10 ).The stable (1-methyl-1H-imidazol-2-yl)methanol system, , can be regarded as a masked form of the carbonyl group as well as a synthon of the group.Keywords - (1-methyl-1H-imidazol-2-yl)methanol; 2-acyl-1-methyl-1H-imidazole; carbonyl compound synthesis; β-ketoester; protecting group; latent functionality; symmetric ketone; dihydrojasmone