PHOTOCHEMICAL SYNTHESIS OF 3 AND 5 ARYL-2-FURYL DERIVATIVES

Irradiation of 3- and 5-bromofuran-2-carbaldehyde in aromatic solutions furnished, in good yield, 3- and 5-aryl-2-furyl derivatives. Analogously, 4,5-dibromofuran-2-carbaldehyde (3) and 4,5-dibromo-2-furyl methyl ketone (5) are useful starting materials for the synthesis of the previously unknown 5-aryl-4-bromo-2-furyl derivatives. Irradiation (in diethyl ether) of the above compounds furnished the debromination products in high yields. This method represents an efficient procedure for the synthesis of 4-bromofuran-2-carbaldehyde (4).