Sc(OTf)₃‐Catalyzed Synthesis of 3‐Substituted Lawsones through a Buchner‐Curtius‐Schlotterbeck Reaction

Abstract

An efficient strategy has been developed for the synthesis of 3‐substituted lawsones using a catalytic amount of Sc(OTf)3 in toluene at ‐78 °C through a Buchner‐Curtius‐Schlotterbeck reaction. It is a versatile method to produce a large number of 3‐aryl, 3‐styryl, 3‐alkyl, and 3‐heteroaryl substituted lawsones under mild conditions. This is a first report on the synthesis of 3‐substituted lawsones in high to excellent yields in short reaction times.