Xylochemical synthesis of diarylated heterocycles

The production of (hetero)aromatic fine chemicals heavily relies on base chemicals sourced from petroleum. The concept of xylochemistry focuses on using compounds derived from wood and other plant materials as building blocks for chemical synthesis, thereby reducing our dependence on fossil carbon. In this study, we demonstrate that the xylochemical apocynin can be readily converted into several diarylated heterocycles that resemble molecules of interest in medicinal, materials, and natural product chemistry. In all cases, the heteroatoms (O, N, S) can be sourced from biorenewable resources and as a result, every atom in all the products can be considered biogenic. • The production of (hetero)aromatic fine chemicals is heavily reliant on base chemicals derived from petroleum. • The xylochemical apocynin can be readily converted into several diarylated heterocycles. • A thiophene, a furan, a pyridazine, and three pyrroles have been assembled based on the xylochemistry concept. • The bio-based products are of interest in medicinal chemistry, materials science, and natural product chemistry.