Studies of the selective O-alkylation and dealkylation of flavonoids .21. A convenient method for synthesizing 3,5,7-trihydroxy-6,8-dimethoxyflavones and 5,7-dihydroxy-3,6,8-trimethoxyflavones

The Friedel-Crafts acetylation with boron trifluoride was studied and it was found that 1-(2,4-dihydroxy-3,5,6-trimethoxyphenyl)ethanone was conveniently synthesized from 2,3,5,6-tetramethoxyphenyl acetate in a mixture of acetic anhydride and acetic acid. 1-[2-Hydroxy-3,5,6-trimethoxy-4-(methoxymethoxy)phenyl]ethanone was cyclized to 7-hydroxy-5,6,8-trimethoxyflavone by using the Baker-Venkataraman transformation. The 7-benzyl ether of the flavone was oxidized with dimethyldioxirane and then treated with a small amount of p-toluenesulfonic acid to give 7-benzyloxy-3-hydroxy-5,6,8-trimethoxyflavone, which was converted into the methyl ether and tosylate. The 5-methoxy group in the methyl ether or tosylate was selectively cleaved with anhydrous aluminum bromide in acetonitrile under mild conditions to give the corresponding 5-hydroxyflavones and the latter compound with a 3-tosyloxy group was smoothly converted into the 3,5-dihydroxyflavone by hydrolysis with potassium carbonate in methanol. The hydrogenolysis of the 7-benzyloxy-3,5-dihydroxyflavone and its 3-methyl ether afforded quantitatively 3,5,7-trihydroxy-6,8-dimethoxyflavone and its 3-methyl ether. The process was suitable as a general method for synthesizing 3,5,7-trihydroxy-6,8-dimethoxyflavones and their 3-methyl ethers and the six flavones were synthesized for the clarification of their H-1 and C-13 NMR, MS, and UV spectral properties.