A Concise Synthesis of Potential COX Inhibitor BRL‐37959 and Analogs Involving Bismuth(III) Catalyzed Friedel−Crafts Acylation

: We report the development of a concise method of synthesizing possible cyclooxygenase (COX) inhibitor BRL-37959, which is believed to be a potent nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID). The four-step synthesis greatly increased the efficiency of compound production from commercially available salicylaldehydes. The synthesis involved an optimized, bismuth(III) trifluoromethanesulfonate catalyzed benzoylation of a benzofuran ring.