FeBr3-Catalyzed Aromatization-C–O Bond Cleavage Process for Construction of Aryl-Substituted Prostaglandin Skeleton

Prostaglandins exhibit therapeutic potential in multiple diseases and the incorporation of aromatic rings into their side chains can often enhance their corresponding biological activities. Although more than 20 kinds of drugs are currently used in clinical practice, there are huge difficulties in the preparation of both active pharmaceutical ingredients and preparations. Prostaglandins directly substituted by aryl groups may overcome these difficulties; however, their preparation remains challenging, and only a few synthetic methods have been reported to date. Herein, we describe a novel FeBr3/ligand-catalyzed aromatization-C-O bond cleavage process that provides access to aryl-substituted prostaglandin skeletons.