β-Deprotonation by lithium di-isopropylamide. Vinyl carbanions from oxygen heterocycles in the synthesis of carboxylic acids in the benzofuran, flavone, and coumarin series and in the regiospecific acylation of 2,6-dimethylchromone

Abstract

Lithium di-isopropylamide at –70 °C can remove the α-proton from benzofuran in the absence of activating groups and the β-proton if such groups are present; in flavone and 4-methoxycoumarin β-deprotonation occurs readily and the carbanions are easily carboxylated giving acids not previously accessible, while in 2,6-dimethylchromone β-deprotonation is kinetically favoured allowing 3-acylation to be achieved separately from the conventional acylation at the 2-methyl group.