An efficient synthesis of 4-substituted coumarin derivatives via a palladium-catalyzed Suzuki cross-coupling reaction

An efficient Pd-catalyzed Suzuki cross-coupling reaction of sterically crowded 4-chlorocoumarin derivatives with air- and moisture-stable potassium organotrifluoroborates is developed. This methodology has been used to generate a series of novel alkyl, aryl, and vinyl substituted coumarin derivatives in good to excellent yields. The twisted conformation of the vinyl groups in the X-ray crystal structures of (2-oxo-4-vinyl-2H-chromen-3-yl)methyl acetate (2) and (2-oxo-4-vinyl-2H-chromen-3-yl)methyl 2,2,2-trichloroacetimidate (3), along with the atropisomerism of 3-(hydroxymethyl)-4-(2-methoxyphenyl)-2H-chromen-2-one (1d), are evidence of the steric crowding in these adducts.