Singlet oxygen reactions of 3-methoxy-2-pyrrole carboxylic acid tert-butyl esters. A route to 5-substituted pyrrole precursors of prodigiosin and analogs

Reaction of the tert-butyl ester of 3-methoxy-2-pyrrole carboxylic acid with singlet oxygen yields a peroxidic intermediate which undergoes coupling with a range of nucleophiles to yield 5-substituted pyrroles. Among these products are α,α′-bipyrroles which serve as precursors of prodigiosin, including A-ring substituted analogues.