Synthesis of Hydroxypyrrolone Carboxamides Employing Selectfluor.

Reaction of pyrrole-2-carboxamides with Selectfluor in MeCN/water (4:1) affords 2-hydroxy-5-oxopyrrole-2-carboxamides in yields of up to 80 %. A variety of sensitive functional groups is tolerated, among them aldehydes and alkynes. The new method also works in the presence of allyl groups and appears to be superior to the use of singlet oxygen. Reaction of the monobrominated dihydropyrrolo[1,2-a]pyrazinone mukanadin C and its nonbrominated analogue afforded bicyclic hydroxypyrrolones. These compounds are interesting as they constitute a partial structure of the marine natural product oxocyclostylidol.