1) The condensation of a phenylpiperazine (I) with chloroethanol (II) gives compound (III) which, upon reaction with the acid chloride (IV), yields lobuprofen.
2) The acid chloride (IV) is reacted with chloroethanol to give compound (V), which, upon condensation with a piperazine (I), yields lobuprofen.
The reaction of ethyl 8-nitro-4-oxo-1-benzopyran-2-carboxylate (I) with ammonia in methanol gives the corresponding amide (II), which is dehydrated with POCl3 yielding 2-cyano-8-nitro-1-benzopyran-4-one (III). The cyclization of (III) with sodium azide by means of pyridinium chloride in hot DMF affords 8-nitro-2-(tetrazol-5-yl)-1-benzopyran-4-one (IV), which is hydrogenated with H2 over Pd/C in methanol - HCl giving 8-amino-2-(tetrazol-5-yl)-1-benzopyran-4-one (V). Finally, this compound is condensed with 4-(4-phenylbutoxy)benzoic acid (VI) by means of oxalyl chloride in dichloromethane-pyridine.