Sodium borohydride–iodine mediated reduction of γ-lactam carboxylic acids followed by DDQ mediated oxidative aromatisation: a facile entry to N-aryl-formylpyrroles

A simple methodology for the conversion of substituted N-aryl-γ-lactam 2/3-carboxylic acids to substituted N-aryl-2/3-formyl-pyrroles has been developed. Several N-aryl-γ-lactam 2/3-carboxylic acids were reduced to substituted (N-aryl-pyrrolidine-2/3-yl)-methanols in good yields at room temperature using sodium borohydride–iodine. Controlled oxidation and aromatisation of these alcohols using DDQ produced N-aryl-2/3-formyl-pyrroles.