Synthesis and some transformations of 2-(2-thienyl)-1H-acenaphtho[1,2-d]imidazole

Three-component reaction of acenaphthenequinone, 9,10-thiophene-2-carbaldehyde and ammonium acetate in glacial acetic acid afforded 2-(2-thienyl)-1 H -acenaphtho[1,2- d ]imidazole. Its N -methylated product undergoes electrophilic substitution reactions (nitration, bromination, sulfonation, formylation, acylation) in KOH-1-methyl-2-pyrrolidone mixture. Depending on the reaction conditions electrophilic attack occurred at both thiophene ring and acenaphthene fragment.