Simple Access to 3-(Hetero)arylated Derivatives of 2-Furoic Acid via Ru(II)-Catalyzed C3-H Arylation of 2-Furoylimidazole

Abstract

A new approach for the preparation of a variety of 3-arylated 2-furoic acid derivatives has been developed. The approach involves selective Ru-catalyzed C3-H arylation of the furan moiety of readily available 2-furoyl-1-methylimidazole (using imidazole as a removable N-donor directing group), subsequent N-methylation, and nucleophilic substitution of the imidazole moiety with N, O, S, and C nucleophiles.