Reactions of 5-[3-(trifluoromethyl)-phenyl]furan-2-carbaldehyde

The Knoevenagel condensations of 5-[3-(trifluoromethyl)phenyl]furan-2-carbaldehyde with seven compounds containing an active methyl or methylene group have been studied. The compounds used were: methyl 2-cyanoacetate, malononitrile, 2-furylacetonitrile, acetophenone, 2-thioxo-1,3-thiazolidin-4-one (rhodanine), 5,5-dimethylcyclohexane-1,3-dione (dimedone), and methyl 2-azidoacetate. The effect of microwave irradiation on the condensation reactions was studied and compared with “’classical”’ conditions. Thermolysis of methyl 2-azido-3-{5-[3-(trifluoromethyl)phenyl]-2-furyl}propenoate afforded methyl 2-[3-(trifluoromethyl)phenyl)]-4H-furo[3,2-b]pyrrole-5-carboxylate. (2E)-3-{ 5-[3-(Trifluoromethyl)phenyl]-2-furyl}propenoic acid was converted to the corresponding azide, which was cyclized on heating into 2-[3-(trifluoromethyl)phenyl)]-4,5-dihydrofuro[3,2-c]pyridin-4-one. The latter after successive action of POCl3 and NH2NH2-Pd/C gave 2-[3-(trifluoromethyl)-phenyl]furo[3,2-c]pyridine.