| abstract |
A process for preparing 3-hydroxymethylbenzo[b]- thiophene derivatives according to the following reaction scheme without the formation of isomers, which comprises selectively cyclizing an X-containing sulfoxide and then selectively replacing the X by hydrogen: wherein R1 to R3 are each independently hydrogen, C1-4 alkyl, trihalomethyl, C1-4 alkoxy, C1-4 alkylthio, or trihalomethoxy; R4 is acyl; and X is halogeno, hydroxyl, amino, mercapto, C1-9 alkylthio, C1-9 acyloxy, C1-9 acylamino, or trihalomethoxy. |