. 56,1907 (1978). Esters of hitherto inaccessible 5-brorno-5'-bromornethylpyrrornethenes, with alternating acetic acid (or methyl) and propionic acid groups in the (3 positions, are obtained by brorninating the appropriate 5-acetoxymethylpyrrole-2-carboxylic acids in ethanol-free chloroform a t r 10°C. The brornornethylpyrrornethenes give the corresponding rnethoxymethylpyrrornethenes in methanol at room temperature.AREND ROWOLD et S. FERGUSON MACDONALD. Can. J. Chem. 56, 1907Chem. 56, (1978. On a pu obtenir des esters des brorno-5 brorno-5' rntthylpyrrornCthines qui Ctaient jusqu'k present inacessible et qui possedent en alternance en position (3, des groupes acide acttique (ou rntthyle) et des groupes d'acide propionique; on a rCalise cette prtparation en faisant la brornuration des acides acCtoxyrnCthyl-5 pyrrolecarboxyliques-2 appropriCs dans du chloroforrne sans ethanol a une temperature 5 10°C. Les brornornethylpyrrorn6th6nes conduisent a u rnCthoxyrnCthylpyrrornCth6nes correspondants par rCaction avec le mCthanol a la ternptrature ambiante.[Traduit par le journal]The unavailability of some 5-bromo-5'-bromo-steam bath, using 2 mol of bromine with 3h and 3k, lnethylpyrromethenes has limited the generality of and 4 mol with 3b and 3e. Complete bromination Johnson and co-workers (1) synthesis of porphyrins could not be forced because of the instability of the from 1'-bromo-8'-methylbiladienes-a,c (cf. refs. 2 bromomethyl derivatives. The crude products, conand 3). We were particularly interested in esters of taining 5'-methyl-and 5'-bromomethylpyrrometh4a and its isomers, which were also promising inter-enes, were treated with methanol t o convert the mediates for the synthesis of polypyrranes related to latter into more stable 5'-methoxymethylpyrrothe uroporphinogens (4, 5). A preliminary communi-inethenes, and those from 3b and 3e were then discation (5) covers the work described below.solved in chloroform-methanol (9: 1) and filtered 2-Methylpyrroles, and their 5-carboxy-(ref. 60) through alumina to remove by-products. The 'Hmr or 5-tert-butoxycarbonyl derivatives (7), are bro-spectra of the products from 3b, 3e, 3h, and 3k then lninated to 5-bromo-5'-methylpyrromethenes with indicated conversions of < 30, < 30, 65, and 85x, alternating P substituents, e.g. 3a. 5-Bromo-5'-respectively. Only the methoxymethylpyrromethene bromomethylpyrromethenes are obtained in the L;k ((60%) was obtained crystalline, and this is much same way or, with greater formal generality, by bro-more readily obtained otherwise (see below). Other minating 5-bromo-5'-methylpyrromethenes. How-routes to 4a and 4d or their esters were obviously ever, both of these are uncertain routes to the bro-required, but the ester 3k was evidently more readily momethylpyrromethenes when there are propionic brominated than the above mentioned free acid 3i.acid groups in the P positions. In particular, the Routes to 4a and 4d or their esters based on the brominations of 3d, 3e (4), and of 3 j (8) had failed, bromination of 2-methylpyrroles were then ...