A practical one-pot synthesis of coumarins in aqueous sodium bicarbonate via intramolecular Wittig reaction at room temperature

Abstract

An efficient, simple and relatively inexpensive method for the synthesis of coumarins in aqueous sodium bicarbonate at ambient temperature has been developed. It features an intramolecular Wittig reaction of substituted 2-formylphenyl 2-bromoacetate in saturated aqueous sodium bicarbonate. Its advantages include benign reaction conditions, easy work-up and good overall yield with short reaction time. Various substituted coumarins have been synthesized by utilizing this methodology.