Rhodium-Katalysierte Isomerisierungen von 2-Methylidenglutarsäureestern zu Methylglutaconsäureestern

The Rhodium(III)-catalyzed thermal isomerization of 2-methylidenglutaric acid esters affords predominantly mixtures of cis/trans-2-methylglutaconic acid esters ( 2, 3 ) which upon slow distillation isomerize completely into the cis-esters ( 2 ). Saponification of 2 yields trans-2-methylglutaconic acid ( 5 ). Attempts to prepare the acid chloride of 5 produces 6-chloro-5-methylpyrone-2 ( 9 ) or 6-chloro-3-methylpyrone-2 ( 10 ) which react with anilines to N-substituted derivatives of trans-4-methylglutaconic acid amides ( 11 ). The thermal isomerizations of the respective esters are discussed in terms of 1,5-hydrogen shifts in their ester enol structures.