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A. M. Sherwood et al.
PAPER
rected. Atlantic Microlab, Inc., Norcross, GA performed all CHN
microanalyses.
1H NMR (CDCl3): δ = 7.37 (d, J = 8.0 Hz, 1 H), 7.12 (d, J = 2.0 Hz,
1 H), 6.88 (dd, J = 8.0, 2.0 Hz, 1 H), 6.27 (dd, J = 2.0, 2.0 Hz, 1 H),
6.17 (t, J = 2.0 Hz, 2 H), 3.76 (s, 6 H).
13C NMR (CDCl3): δ = 162.0, 158.2, 156.5, 131.2, 120.8, 118.5,
115.6, 98.0, 96.6, 55.7.
Uncatalyzed Arylation of 3,5-Dimethoxyphenol (5) to Aryl
Ethers 6–13; General Procedure A
To a solution of 3,5-dimethoxyphenol (5; 1.1 equiv) dissolved in
NMP (0.7–1.4 mL/mmol) was added Cs2CO3 (3 equiv). The mix-
ture was heated under N2 at 50 °C (oil bath) for 30 min to furnish a
dark brown phenoxide solution. The aryl fluoride 4 (1 equiv) was
syringed into the solution and the mixture was stirred at 50–110 °C
for 3–36 h. The reaction temperature was adjusted not to exceed the
boiling point of the aryl fluoride used. The reaction was monitored
by TLC (eluent: 10–30% EtOAc–hexane) until the aryl fluoride
could no longer be observed. The reaction mixture was allowed to
cool to r.t. and then added to H2O (20 mL). The resulting suspension
was extracted with toluene (3 × 15 mL). The combined organic ex-
tracts were washed with H2O (15 mL), brine (15 mL), then dried
(MgSO4), and filtered. The solvent was removed under reduced
pressure and the residue was purified by column chromatography or
triturated with H2O (10 mL), filtered, washed with H2O (10 mL),
and then dried under vacuum. Compounds isolated by trituration
were of sufficient purity to be used in subsequent reactions without
further purification (Table 1).
2,4-Dibromo-1-(3,5-dimethoxyphenoxy)benzene (10)
Prepared according to General Procedure A using 3,5-dimethoxy-
phenol (1.1 g, 7.3 mmol), Cs2CO3 (3.3 g, 10 mmol), and 2,4-dibro-
mo-1-fluorobenzene12 (1.7 g, 6.7 mmol, 90% purity) in NMP (10
mL) at 65 °C for 36 h. Purification by flash chromatography (10%
EtOAc–hexane) afforded a mixture of isomers12 as a colorless oil;
yield: 1.2 g (51%).
1H NMR (CDCl3): δ = 7.76 (d, J = 2.4 Hz, 1 H), 7.37 (dd, J = 8.0,
2.4 Hz, 1 H), 6.88 (d, J = 8.0 Hz, 1 H), 6.24 (t, J = 2.0 Hz, 1 H), 6.12
(d, J = 2.0 Hz, 2 H), 3.74 (s, 6 H).
13C NMR (CDCl3): δ = 162.0, 158.5, 153.0, 136.2, 131.9, 122.1
117.0, 116.0, 97.0, 96.1, 55.7.
2-Chloro-1-(3,5-dimethoxyphenoxy)-4-iodobenzene (11)
Prepared according to General Procedure A using 3,5-dimethoxy-
phenol (0.66 g, 4.3 mmol), Cs2CO3 (1.7 g, 5.1 mmol), and 2-chloro-
1-fluoro-4-iodobenzene (1.07 g, 4.17 mmol) in NMP (10 mL) at
65 °C for 24 h. Purification by trituration and filtration afforded a
red solid; yield: 1.0 g (62%); mp 72–74 °C.
1H NMR (CDCl3): δ = 7.77 (d, J = 2.0 Hz, 1 H), 7.50 (dd, J = 8.0,
2.0 Hz, 1 H), 6.76 (d, J = 8.0 Hz, 1 H), 6.24 (dd, J = 2.0, 2.0 Hz, 1
H), 6.13 (d, J = 2.0 Hz, 2 H), 3.74 (s, 6 H).
2-(3,5-Dimethoxyphenoxy)-6-(trifluoromethyl)benzonitrile (6)
Prepared according to General Procedure A using 3,5-dimethoxy-
phenol (3.4 g, 22 mmol), Cs2CO3 (9.8 g, 30 mmol), and 2-fluoro-6-
(trifluoromethyl)benzonitrile (3.7 g, 20 mmol) in NMP (15 mL) at
65 °C for 4 h. Purification by trituration and filtration afforded a
shiny white solid; yield: 6.36 g (99%); mp 95–97 °C.
1H NMR (CDCl3): δ = 7.57 (t, J = 8.0 Hz, 1 H), 7.44 (d, J = 8.0 Hz,
1 H), 7.13 (d, J = 8.0 Hz, 1 H), 6.36 (dd, J = 2.0, 2.0 Hz, 1 H), 6.25
(t, J = 2.0 Hz, 2 H), 3.78 (s, 6 H).
13C NMR (CDCl3): δ = 162.0, 158.4, 153.7, 139.1, 137.2, 122.7,
97.0, 96.2, 55.7.
4-(3,5-Dimethoxyphenoxy)benzonitrile (12)
13C NMR (CDCl3): δ = 162.2, 161.5, 156.1, 134.4, 134.1, 123.8,
121.1, 120.4, 112.6, 100.8, 98.9, 97.9, 55.7.
Prepared according to General Procedure A using 3,5-dimethoxy-
phenol (1.1 g, 7.3 mmol), Cs2CO3 (3.3 g, 10 mmol), and 4-fluoro-
benzonitrile (0.81 g, 6.7 mmol) in NMP (10 mL) at 65 °C for 48 h.
Purification by trituration and filtration afforded a light orange sol-
id; yield: 1.6 g (94%); mp 67–68 °C.
2,4-Dichloro-1-(3,5-dimethoxyphenoxy)benzene (7)
Prepared according to General Procedure A using 3,5-dimethoxy-
phenol (3.4 g, 22 mmol), Cs2CO3 (9.8 g, 30 mmol), and 2,4-dichlo-
ro-1-fluorobenzene (3.3 g, 20 mmol) in NMP (15 mL) at 120 °C for
2 h. Purification by flash chromatography (10% EtOAc–hexane) af-
forded a white solid; yield: 5.0 g (84%); mp 44–45 °C.
1H NMR (CDCl3): δ = 7.60 (d, J = 8.0 Hz, 2 H), 7.03 (d, J = 8.0 Hz,
2 H), 6.32 (t, J = 2.0 Hz, 1 H), 6.21 (d, J = 2.0 Hz, 2 H), 3.76 (s, 6
H).
13C NMR (100 MHz, CDCl3): δ = 162.1, 161.5, 156.8, 134.8, 119.0,
118.4, 106.8, 99.0, 97.4, 55.7.
1H NMR (CDCl3): δ = 7.48 (d, J = 2.0 Hz, 1 H), 7.19 (dd, J = 8.0,
2.0 Hz, 1 H), 6.96 (d, J = 8.0 Hz, 1 H), 6.22 (dd, J = 2.0, 2.0 Hz, 1
H), 6.10 (t, J = 2.0 Hz, 2 H), 3.74 (s, 6 H).
13C NMR (CDCl3): δ = 161.9, 158.7, 151.2, 130.7, 129.7, 128.3,
127.0, 122.1, 96.7, 96.0, 55.7.
1,3-Dimethoxy-5-(4-nitrophenoxy)benzene (13)
Prepared according to General Procedure A using 3,5-dimethoxy-
phenol (1.13 g, 7.3 mmol), Cs2CO3 (3.3 g, 10 mmol), and 1-fluoro-
4-nitrobenzene (0.95 g, 6.7 mmol) in NMP (10 mL) at 65 °C for 2
h. Purification by trituration and filtration afforded a light yellow
solid; yield: 1.75 g (94%); mp 116–118 °C.
1,2-Dichloro-3-(3,5-dimethoxyphenoxy)benzene (8)
Prepared according to General Procedure A using 3,5-dimethoxy-
phenol (3.4 g, 22 mmol), Cs2CO3 (9.8 g, 30 mmol), and 1,2-dichlo-
ro-3-fluorobenzene (3.3 g, 20 mmol) in NMP (20 mL) at 110 °C for
20 h. Purification by flash chromatography (10% EtOAc–hexane)
afforded a shiny white solid; yield: 3.5 g (59%); mp 43–44 °C.
1H NMR (CDCl3): δ = 8.20 (d, J = 8.0 Hz, 2 H), 7.05 (d, J = 8.0 Hz,
2 H), 6.34 (t, J = 2.0 Hz, 1 H), 6.24 (d, J = 2.0 Hz, 2 H), 3.78 (s, 6
H).
13C NMR (CDCl3): δ = 163.3, 162.2, 156.7, 126.1, 117.5, 115.6,
99.6, 97.7, 55.8.
1H NMR (CDCl3): δ = 7.26 (dd, J = 8.0, 2.0 Hz, 1 H), 7.15 (t, J = 8.0
Hz, 1 H), 6.94 (dd, J = 8.0, 2.0 Hz, 1 H), 6.24 (dd, J = 2.0, 2.0 Hz,
1 H), 6.13 (d, J = 2.0 Hz, 2 H), 3.76 (s, 6 H).
13C NMR (CDCl3): δ = 162.0, 158.6, 154.9, 134.2, 127.8, 125.7,
125.2, 119.0, 97.0, 96.1, 55.7.
Demethylation of 6–13; General Procedure B
A solution of dimethoxy diaryl ether (1 equiv) was dissolved in
anhyd CH2Cl2 (5 mL/mmol) and stirred under N2 at 0 °C for 15 min.
With vigorous stirring, BBr3 (3–5 equiv) was carefully syringed
into the solution over 15 min. The ice bath was removed and the
mixture was stirred for 90 min at r.t. The reaction mixture was care-
fully transferred to an addition funnel and added dropwise to H2O
(50 mL) at 0 °C with continuous stirring over 20 min. The resulting
suspension was extracted with EtOAc (4 × 40 mL). The combined
organic extracts were washed with H2O (50 mL), brine (50 mL),
then dried (MgSO4), and filtered. The solvent was removed under
reduced pressure to afford a viscous oil. The oily residue was lyoph-
1,2-Dichloro-4-(3,5-dimethoxyphenoxy)benzene (9)
Prepared according to General Procedure A using 3,5-dimethoxy-
phenol (1.9 g, 12 mmol), Cs2CO3 (5.4 g, 17 mmol), and 1,2-dichlo-
ro-4-fluorobenzene (1.9 g, 11 mmol) in NMP (10 mL) at 120 °C for
2 h. Purification by flash chromatography (10% EtOAc–hexane) af-
forded a white solid; yield: 2.0 g (60%); mp 57–58 °C.
Synthesis 2012, 44, 1208–1212
© Georg Thieme Verlag Stuttgart · New York