A new synthesis of [14C]-labeled CS-045 has been reported: The condensation of 5-acetoxy-2-hydroxy-3,4,6-trimethylacetophenone (I) with phenoxyacetone (II) by means of morpholine and p-toluenesulfonic acid in refluxing benzene gives 6-acetoxy-2,5,7,8-tetramethyl-2-(phenoxymethyl)-3,4-dihydro-2H-benzo[b]pyran-4-one (III), which is reduced with NaBH4 in methanol to the corresponding carbinol (IV). The dehydration of (IV) by means of p-toluenesulfonic acid in refluxing benzene affords 2-acetoxy-2,5,7,8-tetramethyl-2-(phenoxymethyl)-2H-benzo[b]pyran (V), which is hydrogenated with H2 over Pd/C in methanol to give the corresponding 3,4-dihydro derivative (VI). The hydrolysis of (VI) with NaOH in methanol yields the corresponding phenol (VII), which is chloromethylated with paraformaldehyde and dry HCl in dioxane to afford 2-[4-(chloromethyl)phenoxymethyl]-2,5,7,8-tetramethyl-3,4-dihydro-2H-benzo[b]pyran-6-ol (VIII). The protection of (VIII) with chloromethyl methyl ether by means of potassium tert-butoxide in THF gives the corresponding 6-(methoxymethoxy) derivative (IX), which is condensed with [5-14C]-thiazolidine-2,4-dione (X) by means of butyllithium in THF-HMPT to yield 5-[4-[6-(methoxymethoxy)-2,5,7,8-tetramethyl-3,4-dihydro-2H-benzo[b]pyran-2-ylmethoxy]benzyl]-[5-14C]-thiazolidine-2,4-dione (XI). Finally, this compound is deprotected with concentrated HCl in ethylene glycol monomethyl ether at 130 C.

A new synthesis of [14C]-labeled CS-045 has been reported: The condensation of 5-acetoxy-2-hydroxy-3,4,6-trimethylacetophenone (I) with phenoxyacetone (II) by means of morpholine and p-toluenesulfonic acid in refluxing benzene gives 6-acetoxy-2,5,7,8-tetramethyl-2-(phenoxymethyl)-3,4-dihydro-2H-benzo[b]pyran-4-one (III), which is reduced with NaBH4 in methanol to the corresponding carbinol (IV). The dehydration of (IV) by means of p-toluenesulfonic acid in refluxing benzene affords 2-acetoxy-2,5,7,8-tetramethyl-2-(phenoxymethyl)-2H-benzo[b]pyran (V), which is hydrogenated with H2 over Pd/C in methanol to give the corresponding 3,4-dihydro derivative (VI). The hydrolysis of (VI) with NaOH in methanol yields the corresponding phenol (VII), which is chloromethylated with paraformaldehyde and dry HCl in dioxane to afford 2-[4-(chloromethyl)phenoxymethyl]-2,5,7,8-tetramethyl-3,4-dihydro-2H-benzo[b]pyran-6-ol (VIII). The protection of (VIII) with chloromethyl methyl ether by means of potassium tert-butoxide in THF gives the corresponding 6-(methoxymethoxy) derivative (IX), which is condensed with [5-14C]-thiazolidine-2,4-dione (X) by means of butyllithium in THF-HMPT to yield 5-[4-[6-(methoxymethoxy)-2,5,7,8-tetramethyl-3,4-dihydro-2H-benzo[b]pyran-2-ylmethoxy]benzyl]-[5-14C]-thiazolidine-2,4-dione (XI). Finally, this compound is deprotected with concentrated HCl in ethylene glycol monomethyl ether at 130 C.

A new short synthesis of troglitazone has been described: Condensation of the bromoacetal (I) with 4-hydroxybenzaldehyde (II) by means of K2CO3 and NaI in refluxing acetone gives the unsaturated ether (III), which is cyclized with trimethylhydroquinone (IV) by means of bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide in dichloromethane to yield the 6-hydroxybenzopyran (V). Acylation of (V) with acetic anhydride and DMAP in THF affords the expected acetoxybenzopyran (VI), which is condensed with thiazolidine-2,4-dione (VII) by means of piperidine in toluene to provide the 6-benzylidene-thiazolidine (VIII). The hydrogenation of (VIII) with H2 over Pd/C in methanol gives the corresponding benzyl derivative (IX), which is finally deacetylated with AcOH/HCl/water (3:1:1) in MeOH.