Preparation of five- and six- membered cyclic ketones by the palladium-catalyzed cyclization reaction. Application to methyl dihydrojasmonate synthesis

Methyl 3-oxo-8-phenoxy-6-octenoate ($\text{1}$) was cyclized using Pd(OAc)₂-PPh₃ as a catalyst to give 2-carbomethoxy-3-vinylcyclopentanone ($\text{2}$) and 2-carbomethoxy-4-cycloheptenone ($\text{3}$). The former was the main product in acetonitrile. 2-Alkylated 3-oxo-8-phenoxy-6-octenoates were converted mainly to the five-membered ketones. Based on this cyclization method, methyl dihydrojasmonate ($\text{8}$) was prepared from methyl 2-pentyl-3-oxo-8-phenoxy-6-octenoate ($\text{5}$). Methyl 3-oxo-9-phenoxy-7-nonenoate (10) was subjected to the palladium-catalyzed cyclization to afford 2-carbomethoxy-3-vinylcyclohexanone (11) selectively without forming the eight-membered ketone (12).