A novel synthesis of 4,5-diaryl-6-arylamino-2,3-benzo-1,3a,6a-triazapentalenes

Treatment of N-alkyl- and N-aryl-imines of 2,3-diaryl- and 2-alkyl-3-aryl-3-(benzotriazol-1-yl)propenals with trifluoroacetic anhydride in THF at room temperature gave 5-alkyl-4-aryl-6-[N-alkyl (and aryl)-N-trifluoroacetyl]amino-2,3-benzo-1,3a,6a-triazapentalenes in moderate to good yields. On heating triazapentalenes having R2=aryl in MeOH at reflux, detrifluoroacetylation of triazapentalene occurred to give title compounds in good yields. However, the same treatment of triazapentalenes having R2=alkyl did not give the corresponding detrifluoroacetylation product. The title compounds and 5-alkyl-4-aryl-6-(N-alkyl-N-trifluoroacetyl)amino-2,3-benzo-1,3a,6a-triazapentalenes were found to be good precursors for the synthesis of 1-(o-aminophenyl)-3-arylamino-4-alkyl (and aryl)-5-arylpyrazoles and 1-(o-aminophenyl)-3-(N-alkyl-N-trifluoroacetyl)amino-4-alkyl (and aryl)-5-arylpyrazoles, respectively.