Facile Synthesis of Methyl 2-Formyl-5-hydroxymethyl-3-furancarboxylate

Abstract

A short practical synthesis of the title trisubstituted furan is presented. It involves a high yield Knoevenagel condensation of glyceraldehyde and methyl acetoacetate to the furan nucleus and, following a protection of the furyl alcohol, a radical bromination then a Kröhnke reaction of the furyl bromide intermediate.