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Updated: Jul 7, 2026

Microwave-assisted Intramolecular Dehydrogenative Diels-Alder Reactions for the Synthesis of Functionalized Naphthalenes/Solvatochromic Dyes
Published on: April 1, 2013
A concise synthesis of the naphthalene portion of purpuromycin
Andrew N Lowell1, Michael W Fennie, Marisa C Kozlowski
1Department of Chemistry, Roy and Diana Vagelos Laboratories, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104-6323, USA.
Abstract:
A concise synthesis of naphthalene compounds for incorporation into a synthetic sequence for the rubromycin family of natural products is presented. These highly substituted naphthalenes are generated in seven and nine steps, respectively, from 2,4,5-trimethoxybenzaldehyde. Three ring-forming methods were explored and the controlled oxygenation of different positions was investigated to yield differentially substituted/protected systems. Key steps to the final products include a Stobbe condensation to form the ring system and a novel series of regioselective oxidations to introduce the required oxygen functionality. These naphthalene products incorporate orthogonal protecting groups and are suitable for combination with a variety of coupling partners.
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