New photochemical approaches to the synthesis of chromones

Article abstract of DOI:10.1016/S0040-4020(01)89940-3

Irradiation of the p-methoxyphenyl and p-methylphenyl esters of 2-butynoic, propynoic, 3-(ethylenedioxy)butanoic, 3,3-dimethoxypropanoic and 3-oxobutanoic acids (1-3) affords the corresponding photo-Fries products 4-6. Compound 5a is converted in part into the acetophenone 7a, by way of a Norrish type II photo-reaction, while compound 6a is reluctant to undergo this process, in spite of the fact that it also possess γ-carbonyl hydrogen atoms. From the preparative point of view, the photorearrangement of the esters 1a-d and 2a,c-d is exploitable, while that of 3a proceeds with a lower yield. The differences found in the photochemical behaviour of 2a and 3a show the sharp influence of the acetal group on the course of the reaction. Compounds 4-6 are representative model compounds valuable as direct chromone precursors; in fact, they can be readily cyclized to the chromones 10 under basic or acidic conditions.