New functionalised 3-hydroxypyridines

This thesis is concerned with the synthesis and reactions of functionalised 3- liydroxypyridines, in particular 2-aryl- and 2-heteroary 1-3-liydroxypyridines by non- coupling methodology, from furan precursors. Chapter 1 reviews the synthesis and reactions of 3-hydroxypyridines. Chapter 2 describes the synthesis of 2-acylfurans via differing methods, which include acylation of the furan nucleus, Grignard reactions of furaldehydes and, most notably, reaction of lithiofurans with reagents containing a nitrile component. Chapter 3 concerns reaction of acylfurans with ammonia at high pressure and temperature to produce 3-hydroxypyridines. We have found that this ring expansion is able to withstand many differing substituents including bromine. Further development of the pyridine ring system involves reaction of the ring atoms or substituents, including protection of the hydroxy group. This ring expansion was used in the development of a novel azabenzotriazole starting from a simple furan compound, and this is reported in Chapter 4.The methodology described in this thesis is versatile and has allowed access to a range of novel pyridine derivatives in synthetically useful quantities which should be of interest in many areas of organic chemistry.