Methyl 3-aryl-2-bromo-2-chloropropanoates can be prepared by Meerwein reaction from
methyl 2-chloroacrylate and various arenediazonium salts under copper(II) bromide
catalysis. The resulting readily available compounds were used as starting materials
in reactions with substituted methanethiols for the construction of substituted 3-hydroxythiophenes
which have not yet been accessible by other routes. Structural variety of the obtained
2-substituted 5-aryl-3-hydroxythiophenes has been achieved due to a wide range of
available starting materials, including both anilines and thiols.
Key words
Meerwein arylation - arenediazonium salts - 3-hydroxythiophenes - Fiesselmann reaction