Conclusions
compositions are given in Tables 1 and 2. Analytical samples of
the products were recrystallized; the type of solvent is given
below. When D2O was the electrophile, the organic phase of
the reaction mixture was collected after hydrolysis, then was
dried, and concentrated in vacuo. The position of the inserted
deuterium was observed by 1H NMR spectroscopy.
In summary, highly selective methods for mono- and dimetal-
lation of (bromo)-, chloro- and methoxy-substituted 1-phenyl-
pyrroles have been developed. Thus 1-(chlorophenyl)pyrroles
could be lithiated with activated butyllithium at low temper-
ature with good yields.
Special effects influenced the metallations in diethyl ether
at 0 ЊC. Site-selective monolithiation of 1-(2-methoxyphenyl)-
pyrrole 6 could be achieved with two equivalents of BuLi–
TMEDA, only. Selective dimetallations of meta and para
methoxy analogs (11 and 20) with two equivalents of BuLi–
PMDTA and efficient α,2 dilithiation of 1-(4-chlorophenyl)-
pyrrole 19 were also accomplished. In the latter case, simple
butyllithium or its TMEDA-activated form was suitable
for dimetallation. Synthetic utility of these metallation
reactions was demonstrated by the preparation of a pyrrolo-
benzoxazepine derivative.
1-(4-Bromo-3-carboxyphenyl)pyrrole 21. Mp 138–142 ЊC
(from hexane) (Found: C, 49.61; H, 3.12; N, 5.17. C11H8BrNO2
requires C, 49.65; H, 3.03; N, 5.26%); νmax(KBr)/cmϪ1 3446
(OH), 1710, 1648 (CO); δH(CDCl3) 6.38 (2H, t, J 1.9, β- ϩ
βЈ-H), 7.10 (2H, t, J 1.9, α- ϩ αЈ-H), 7.42 (1H, dd, J 8.6, 2.5,
6-H), 7.75 (1H, d, J 8.6, 5-H), 8.03 (1H, d, J 2.5, 2-H).
1-(3-Carboxy-2-chlorophenyl)pyrrole 7. Mp 156–157 ЊC (from
dichloromethane) (Found: C, 59.63; H, 3.71; N, 6.48.
C11H8ClNO2 requires C, 59.61; H, 3.64; N, 6.32%); νmax(KBr)/
cmϪ1 3446 (OH), 1696 (CO); δH(CDCl3) 6.36 (2H, t, J 2.1,
β- ϩ βЈ-H), 6.88 (2H, t, J 2.1, α- ϩ αЈ-H), 7.43 (1H, t, J 7.9,
5-H), 7.50 (1H, dd, J 7.9, 2.0, 6-H), 7.88 (1H, dd, J 7.9, 2.0,
4-H).
Experimental
Generalities
1-(4-Carboxy-3-chlorophenyl)pyrrole 13. Mp 166–168 ЊC
(from dichloromethane–hexane) (Found: C, 59.62; H, 3.61;
N, 6.32. C11H8ClNO2 requires C, 59.61; H, 3.64; N 6.32%);
νmax(KBr)/cmϪ1 3446 (OH), 1708 (CO); δH(CDCl3) 6.40 (2H, t,
J 2.0, β- ϩ βЈ-H), 7.15 (2H, t, J 2.0, α- ϩ αЈ-H), 7.36 (1H, dd,
J 8.9, 2.5, 6-H), 7.52 (1H, d, J 2.5, 2-H), 8.10 (1H, d, J 8.9, 5-H).
All commercial starting materials were purchased from Fluka
AG and Merck-Shuchardt and were used without further
purification. Butyllithium was supplied by Chemetall GmbH
Lithium Division, Frankfurt. Anhydrous diethyl ether and
THF were obtained by distillation from sodium wire after
the characteristic blue color of in situ-generated sodium
diphenylketyl had been found to persist. TMEDA and PMDTA
were also distilled from sodium wire before use. The concen-
tration of the butyllithium solution was determined by the
double-titration method.15 All experiments were carried out in
Schlenk flasks under dry nitrogen atmosphere. Solid CO2–
acetone-baths were used to achieve Ϫ75 ЊC during metallation
reactions. NMR spectra were recorded in deuteriochloroform
or hexadeuteriodimethyl sulfoxide solution at 250 MHz.
Chemical shifts refer to tetramethylsilane (δ = 0 ppm); coupling
constants (J) are given in Hz. Assignments for the proton
signals are given in all cases; the numbers and greek letters refer
to the numbering of the carbon skeleton (shown in Scheme 2).
Compounds 4–6, 9–11, 18–20 are known from the literature.
These materials were prepared from the corresponding sub-
stituted aniline and cis,trans-2,5-dimethoxytetrahydrofuran
in glacial acetic acid according to Gross’ general procedure.16
Several end-products (12, 14, 16, 22–25, 27, 28, 30) are also
known from the literature. The yields, physical and spectro-
scopic data of all the above-mentioned products are available in
the deposited Supplementary Data.
1-(2-Carboxy-4-chlorophenyl)pyrrole-2-carboxylic acid 26.
Mp 173–174 ЊC (from chloroform) (Found: C, 54.32; H, 3.03;
N, 5.27. C12H8ClNO4 requires C, 54.26; H, 3.04; N, 5.27%);
νmax(KBr)/cmϪ1 3445 (OH), 1706 (CO); δH(DMSO-d6) 6.25 (1H,
dd, J 4.0, 2.4, βЈ-H), 6.90 (1H, dd, J 4.0, 1.8, β-H), 7.04 (1H,
t-like dd, J 2.4, 1.8, α-H), 7.36 (1H, d, J 8.7, 6-H), 7.68 (1H, dd,
J 8.7, 2.5, 5-H), 7.85 (1H, d, J 2.5, 3-H).
1-(3-Carboxy-2-methoxyphenyl)pyrrole 8. Mp 104–106 ЊC
(from hexane) (Found: C, 66.26; H, 5.11; N, 6.38. C12H11NO3
requires C, 66.33; H, 5.11; N, 6.45%); νmax(KBr)/cmϪ1 3434
(OH), 1693 (CO); δH(CDCl3) 3.49 (3H, s, OMe), 6.40 (2H, t,
J 2.1, β- ϩ βЈ-H), 7.03 (2H, t, J 2.1, α- ϩ αЈ-H), 7.35 (1H, t,
J 7.9, 5-H), 7.59 (1H, dd, J 7.8, 2.0, 6-H), 8.18 (1H, dd, J 8.0,
2.0, 4-H).
1-(2-Methoxy[3-2H]phenyl)pyrrole. Oil, δH(CDCl3) 3.81 (3H,
s, OMe), 6.30 (2H, t, J 2.0, β- ϩ βЈ-H), 6.99 (2H, t, J 2.0,
α- ϩ αЈ-H), 7.00 (1H, t, J 7.8, 5-H), 7.27 (1H, dd, J 7.8, 1.7,
4-H), 7.30 (1H, dd, J 7.8, 1.7, 6-H).
Metallation (general procedure)
1-(4-Carboxy-3-methoxyphenyl)pyrrole 15. Mp 118–120 ЊC
(from hexane) (Found: C, 66.38; H, 5.15; N, 6.43. C12H11NO3
requires C, 66.33; H, 5.11; N, 6.45%); νmax(KBr)/cmϪ1 3433
(OH), 1710 (CO); δH(CDCl3) 4.04 (3H, s, OMe), 6.39 (2H, t-like
m, J 2.0, β- ϩ βЈ-H), 6.92–7.20 (4H, m, 2-, 6-, α- ϩ αЈ-H), 8.19
(1H, d, J 7.8, 5-H).
A 1-(substituted phenyl)pyrrole 4–6, 9–11, 18–20 (10.0 mmol)
and the activating agent (10.0 mmol, TMEDA: 1.16 g;
PMDTA: 1.73 g, or the double amount) were dissolved in dry
THF or diethyl ether (25.0 ml) and cooled to 0 or Ϫ75 ЊC.
Buthyllithium (11.0 mmol; 7.3 ml or the double amount) in
hexane was added dropwise to the solution. When LiTMP was
used as a base, it was prepared from TMP (13.0 mmol, 1.83 g)
and butyllithium (11.0 mmol, 7.3 ml) before addition of the
model compound. The reaction mixture was stirred for 60 min
(in the case of 6 15 min), then was poured into a solid CO2–
diethyl ether slurry. At 20 ЊC, 20 ml of water was added, the
phases were separated, and the aqueous solution was washed
with diethyl ether (3 × 15 ml). The aqueous solution was acidi-
fied with 10% aq. citric acid. The product precipitated from the
solution in the form of an oil or as crystals. In the case of the
oil the aqueous phase was extracted with dichloromethane
(3 × 25 ml). The collected dichloromethane solutions were dried
over sodium sulfate and concentrated in vacuo. The residue was
treated with hexane to give crystalline material. The yields and
1-(2-Carboxy-3-methoxyphenyl)pyrrole-2-carboxylic acid 17.
Mp 146–148 ЊC (from chloroform–hexane) (Found: C, 59.73;
H, 4.30; N, 5.45. C13H11NO5 requires C, 59.77; H, 4.24;
N, 5.36%); νmax(KBr)/cmϪ1 3428 (OH), 1713, 1654 (CO);
δH(DMSO-d6) 3.85 (3H, s, OMe), 6.19 (1H, dd, J 3.9, 2.8, βЈ-H),
6.75 (1H, dd, J 3.9, 2.0, β-H), 6.82 (1H, d, J 7.7, 4-H), 6.88 (1H,
dd, J 2.8, 2.0, αЈ-H), 7.13 (1H, d, J 7.7, 6-H), 7.36 (1H, t, J 7.7,
5-H).
1-(2-Carboxy-4-methoxyphenyl)pyrrole-2-carboxylic acid 29.
Mp 171–172 ЊC (from chloroform–hexane) (Found: C, 59.82;
H, 4.31; N, 5.43. C13H11NO5 requires C, 59.77; H, 4.24; N,
5.36%); νmax(KBr)/cmϪ1 3430 (OH), 1686, 1654 (CO);
1042
J. Chem. Soc., Perkin Trans. 1, 2001, 1039–1043