Synthesis 2018; 50(12): 2359-2366
DOI: 10.1055/s-0036-1591969
paper
© Georg Thieme Verlag Stuttgart · New York

Synthesis of Aromatic Disulfonic Acids for Water-Soluble Dibenzo­thiophene Derivatives

Sara M. Omlid
Department of Chemistry, Saint Louis University, 3501 Laclede Ave., St. Louis, MO 63103, USA   Email: ryan.mcculla@slu.edu
,
Ankita Isor
Department of Chemistry, Saint Louis University, 3501 Laclede Ave., St. Louis, MO 63103, USA   Email: ryan.mcculla@slu.edu
,
Kathryn L. Sulkowski
Department of Chemistry, Saint Louis University, 3501 Laclede Ave., St. Louis, MO 63103, USA   Email: ryan.mcculla@slu.edu
,
S. M. Chintala
Department of Chemistry, Saint Louis University, 3501 Laclede Ave., St. Louis, MO 63103, USA   Email: ryan.mcculla@slu.edu
,
John T. Petroff II
Department of Chemistry, Saint Louis University, 3501 Laclede Ave., St. Louis, MO 63103, USA   Email: ryan.mcculla@slu.edu
,
Department of Chemistry, Saint Louis University, 3501 Laclede Ave., St. Louis, MO 63103, USA   Email: ryan.mcculla@slu.edu
› Author Affiliations
This work was supported by grants CHE-1255270 from the National Science Foundation and donors to the Herman Frasch Foundation.
Further Information

Publication History

Received: 17 January 2018

Accepted after revision: 27 February 2018

Publication Date:
12 April 2018 (online)


Abstract

There is a need for efficient methods for the synthesis of water-soluble dibenzothiophene (DBT) and dibenzothiophene S-oxide (DBTO) derivatives to allow for the study of atomic oxygen in biological applications. Attaining water-solubility of aromatic compounds is effectively achieved through functionalization with sulfonic acid groups. Three approaches for the synthesis were considered. An indirect approach was unsuccessful. A modular approach was found to be highly effective for one DBTO disulfonic acid derivative (>99% pure). The direct approach was the most straightforward and highest-yielding route. Additionally, a highly effective, scalable, and improved purification method was identified for disulfonic acid DBT and DBTO derivatives, allowing for the isolation of positional isomers and other modifications by using reverse-phase high-performance flash chromatography.

Supporting Information