Expedient approach to 6-bromo-2-isopropylidenecoumaranone, a potential intermediate for the synthesis of TMC-120B, pseudodeflectusin, and Their congeners

A straightforward approach toward 6-bromo-2-isopropylidenecoumaranone, a potential intermediate toward alkaloid TMC 120-B, pseudodeflectusin, and other natural products, was reported. The synthetic sequence involved the reaction of 3-bromosalicylaldehyde with chloroacetone and cyclization of the resulting ether to a 2-acetylcoumaranol intermediate. This was followed by sequential methyl Grignard addition and Jones’ oxidation to the corresponding coumaranone, which was dehydrated to the final product with the methanesulfonyl chloride/pyridine reagent. The protection of the coumaranol as the corresponding THP-ether resulted in improved product yields.