Anionic condensations of 3,5-di-<Emphasis Type="Italic">tert</Emphasis>-butyl-4(2)-hydroxybenzaldehydes in the presence of weak bases

Products of the reactions of 4- and 2-hydroxy-3,5-di-tert-butyl-benzaldehydes with malonic acid, diethyl malonate, and acetic anhydride in the presence of weak bases were isolated and identified. The reactions of 3,5-di-tert-butyl-4-hydroxybenzaldehyde with malonic acid and acetic anhydride in the presence of sodium acetate and piperidine gave 3,5-di-tert-butyl-4-hydroxycinnamic acid. The reaction of its 2-hydroxy isomer with acetic anhydride stopped at the stage of formation of the corresponding O-acetyl derivative, while in the reaction with malonic acid the corresponding substituted cinnamic acid and its lactone (coumarin derivative) were formed as intermediate products in a transformation sequence finally leading to 3-(3,5-di-tertbutyl-2-hydroxyphenyl)-3-piperidinopropionic acid and 6,8-di-tert-butyl-2-oxo-3,4-dihydro-2H-chromen-4-ylacetic acid. Analogous differences were typical of reactions of isomeric 4- and 2-hydroxy-3,5-di-tert-butylbenzaldehydes with diethyl malonate. The transformations of the 2-hydroxy isomer were accompanied by hydrolysis and formation of an adduct of intermediate coumarin derivative with diethyl malonate and piperidine.