Rubazonic Acids and Their Synthesis

Rubazonic acids are a class of dyes that are long-known, but studies on their syntheses and uses are rare. We now describe an experimentally simple and highly practical one-pot procedure for their synthesis starting from easily accessible 1H-pyrazol-5(4H)-ones. This protocol provides direct access to a broad range of the desired rubazonic acid derivatives through oxidative diazidation combined with a reductive work-up, without the need to isolate the potentially hazardous diazido compounds generated en route the target compounds. We also show how more challenging variants of rubazonic acid are efficiently prepared using an alternative two-step procedure and controlled hydrogenation conditions.