A Flexible Stereoselective Synthesis of the Spirosesquiterpenes (±)-β-Acorenol, (±)-β-Acoradiene, (±)-Acorenone-B and (±)-Acorenone via an Intramolecular Ene-Reaction

The racemic spirosesquiterpenes β-acorenol ( 1 ), β-acoradiene ( 2 ), acorenone-B ( 3 ) and acorenone ( 4 ) (Scheme 2) have been synthesized in a simple, flexible and highly stereoselective manner from the ester 5 . The key step (Schemes 3 and 4), an intramolecular thermal ene reaction of the 1,6-diene 6 , proceeded with 100% endo-selectivity to give the separable and interconvertible epimers 7a and 7b . Transformation of the ‘trans’-ester 7a to (±)- 1 and (±)- 2 via the enone 9 (Scheme 5) involved either a thermal retro-ene reaction 10 → 12 or, alternatively, an acid-catalysed elimination 11 → 13 + 14 followed by conversion to the 2-propanols 16 and 17 and their reduction with sodium in ammonia into 1 which was then dehydrated to 2 . The conversion of the ‘cis’-ester 7b to either 3 (Scheme 6) or 4 (Scheme 7) was accomplished by transforming firstly the carbethoxy group to an isopropyl group via 7b → 18 → 19 → 20 , oxidation of 20 to 21 , then alkylative 1,2-enone transposition 21 → 22 → 23 → 3 . By regioselective hydroboration and oxidation, the same precursor 20 gave a single ketone 25 which was subjected to the regioselective sulfenylation-alkylation-desulfenylation sequence 25 → 26 → 27 → 4 .     

Einfache Synthese von 6-[4-Methyl-3-cyclohexen-1-yl]-hept-5-en-2-on,einer Vorstufe für α-Bisabolen und dessen Isopropenyl-Isomers. Terpene und Terpen-Derivate, 10. Mitteilung

Simple Synthesis of 6-[4-Methyl-3-cyclohexen-1-yl]-5-hepten-2-on, a Precursor of α-Bisabolene and Its Isopropenyl Isomer The alcohol 14 reacts with vinyl resp isopropenyl ether by Claisen rearrangement to give the aldehyde 16/17 resp. the ketone 3/4. Contrary to other reports this separable (E/Z)-mixture also occurs as a result of the synthesis following the pathway 7 → 8/9 → 10/11 → 12/13 (see also [2]). The bisabolene isomers 5 resp. 6 are obtained by reaction of 3 resp. 4 with methylidene triphenyl phosphorane. A mixture of 1 and 5. however, is formed from 3 via the alcohol 18 and its acetate 19. Likewise 4 reacts via 20 and 21 to give a (2/6) -mixture.     

Synthesis,crystal structure and activity evaluation of novel 3,4‐dihydro‐1‐benzoxepin‐5(2H)‐one derivatives as protein–tyrosine kinase (PTK) inhibitors

Four new 3,4‐dihydro‐1‐benzoxepin‐5(2H )‐one derivatives, namely (E )‐4‐(5‐bromo‐2‐hydroxybenzylidene)‐6,8‐dimethoxy‐3,4‐dihydrobenzo[b ]oxepin‐5(2H )‐one, ( 7 ), (E )‐4‐[(E )‐3‐(5‐bromo‐2‐hydroxyphenyl)allylidene]‐6,8‐dimethoxy‐3,4‐dihydrobenzo[b ]oxepin‐5(2H )‐one, ( 8 ), (E )‐4‐(5‐bromo‐2‐hydroxybenzylidene)‐6‐hydroxy‐8‐methoxy‐3,4‐dihydrobenzo[b ]oxepin‐5(2H )‐one, C₁₈H₁₅BrO₅, ( 9 ), and (E )‐4‐[(E )‐3‐(5‐bromo‐2‐hydroxyphenyl)allylidene]‐6‐hydroxy‐8‐methoxy‐3,4‐dihydrobenzo[b ]oxepin‐5(2H )‐one, ( 10 ), have been synthesized and characterized by FT–IR, NMR and MS. The structure of ( 9 ) was confirmed by single‐crystal X‐ray diffraction. Crystal structure analysis shows that molecules of ( 9 ) are connected into a one‐dimensional chain in the [010] direction through classical hydrogen bonds and these chains are further extended into a three‐dimensional network via C—H…O interactions. The inhibitory activities of these compounds against protein–tyrosine kinases (PTKs) show that 6‐hydroxy‐substituted compounds ( 9 ) and ( 10 ) are more effective for inhibiting ErbB1 and ErbB2 than are 6‐methoxy‐substituted compounds ( 7 ) and ( 8 ). This may be because ( 9 ) and ( 10 ) could effectively bind to the active pockets of the protein through intermolecular interactions.     

Photochemische Reaktionen. 52. Mitteilung [1]. Zur Photochemie von α,β-ungesättigten cyclischen Ketonen: Spezifische Reaktionen der n,π*- und π,π*-Triplettzustände von O-Acetyl-testosteron und 10-Methyl-Δ1,9-octalon-(2)

The photochemistry of the conjugated cyclohexenones O-acetyl testosterone ( 1 ) and 10-methyl-Δ^1,9-octalone-(2) ( 24 ) has been investigated in detail. The choice of reaction paths of both ketones depends strongly on the solvent used. In t-butanol, a photostationary equilibrium 1 ? 3 is reached which is depleted solely by the parallel rearrangement 1 → 5 (Chart 1; for earlier results on these reactions see [2a] [6] [7]). In benzene, double bond shift 1 → 16 (Chart 3) occurs instead, which is due to hydrogen abstraction from a ground-state ketone by the oxygen of an excited ketone as the primary photochemical process. In toluene, the major reaction is solvent incorporation ( 1 → 17 , Chart 4) through hydrogen addition to the β-carbon of the enone, accompanied by double bond shift and formation of saturated dihydroketone as the minor reactions. Contrary in part to an earlier report [19], the photochemical transformation of the bicyclic enoné 24 exhibit a similar solvent dependence. The corresponding products 25 – 29 are summarized in Chart 5 and Table 1. Sensitization and quenching experiments established the triplet nature of the above reactions of 1 and 24 . Based on STERN -VOLMER analyses of the quenching data (cf. Figures 2, 4–8, and Table 3), rearrangement, double bond reduction and toluene addition are attributed to one triplet state of the enones which is assigned tentatively as ³(π, π*) state, and the double bond shift is attributed to another triplet assigned as ³(n, π*) state (cf. Figure 9). The stereospecific rearrangement of the 1α-deuterated ketone 2 to the 4β-deuterio isomer 4 shows the reaction to proceed with retention at C-1 and inversion at C-10. The 4-substituted testosterone derivatives 33 – 36 (Chart 8) were found to be much less reactive in general than 1 . In particular, 4-methyl ketone 33 remains essentially unchanged on irradiation in t-butanol, benzene and toluene.     

Umlagerung von α-Halogen- in α′-Halogen-cyclobutanone,Schlüsselstufe einer variationsreichen Synthese von Pyrethroiden

Rearrangement of α-Halogen- to α′-Halogen-cyclobutanones, Key Step of a Highly Versatile Synthesis of Pyrethroids α-Halogenocyclobutanones, which are readily available by [2 + 2]-cycloaddition of haloketenes to terminal olefins (e. g. 5 → 6 ), undergo an efficient and stereoselective cine-rearrangement to α′-halogenocyclobutanones in the presence of catalysts such as tertiary amines, HX acids or quaternary ammonium salts (e. g. 6 → 7 , Table 1). Preparative as well as mechanistic aspects of the cine-rearrangement are discussed. The 2,4-cis-disubstituted cyclobutanones 7–32 thus formed represent valuable intermediates in a new synthesis of pyrethroids 1 . The X-ray structure of 2-chloro-4-(2,2,2-trichloroethyl)-3,3-dimethylcyclobutanone ( 7 ), the most important precursor of cis- 3 (X = Cl) shows the following features: a puckered cyclobutanone ring (dihedral angle 31°), 2,4-cis-di-pseudoequatorial arrangement of the chloro and trichloroethyl substituents, and an endo-deviation (0.225 Å; 11°) of the carbonyl O-atom from the plane formed by C(1), C(2) and C(4) (Fig. 2).     

具有β-(1→6)-半乳吡喃糖骨架和α-L-(1→3)-阿拉伯呋喃糖侧链的阿拉伯半乳寡糖的简易合成

4-Methoxyphenyl glycoside of β-D-Galp-(1→6)-[α-L-Araf-(1→3)-]β-D-Galp-(1→6)-β-D-Galp-(1→6)-{β-D-Galp-(1→6)-[α-L-Araf-(1→3)-]β-D-Galp-(1→6)-β-D-Galp-(1→6)-}2β-D-Galp-(1→6)-[α-L-Araf-(1→)3)-]β-D-Galp-(1→)6)-β-D-Galp was synthesized with 2,3,4,6-tetra-O-benzoyl-α-D-galactopyranosyl trichloroacetimidate (1), 6-O-acetyl-2,3,4-tri-O-benzoyl-α-D-galactopyranosyl trichloroacetimidate (11), 4-methoxyphenyl 3-O-allyl-2,4-tri-O-benzoyl-β-D-galactopyranoside (2),isopropyl 3-O-allyl-2,4-tri-O-benzoyl--thio-β-D-galactopyranoside (12),4-methoxyphenyl 2,3,4-tri-O-benzoyl-β-D-galactopyranoside (5), and 2,3,5-tri-O-benzoyl-α-L-arabinofuranosyl trichloroacetimidate (8) as the key synthons.     

Photochemische Umwandlungen, 41 [1] 3ω → 3 π-Isomerisierungen von Monohetero-trishomobenzol-derivaten. Vorläufige mitteilung

The all-cis-oxa- and azatrishomobenzene diesters 4a and 4b resp. undergo thermally a very clean 3ω → 3π isomerization reaction yielding the heterocyclonona-2, 5, 8-triene derivatives 6a and 6b resp. (E_a = 27.4 and 26.5 kcal/mole). In contrast, the cis, cis, trans-oxatrishomobenzene diester 9 is stable up to 170°. Some applications and limitations of this 3ω → 3π-route to iso- and heterocyclononatriene derivatives are discussed.     

Photochemische Reaktionen. 68. Mitteilung. Die Photoisomerisierung von α,β-ungesättigten γ,δ-Epoxyketonen: 9α, 10α- und 9β, 10β-Oxido-3-oxo-17β-acetoxy-Δ4-östren

Irradiation in the n→π* absorption band of the α,β-unsaturated γ,δ-epoxyketone 5 in ethanol at ?65° exclusively afforded the rearranged ene-dione 13 , whereas at + 24° under otherwise unchanged reaction conditions or upon triplet sensitization with Michler's ketone and with acetophenone at + 24° essentially identical mixtures of 13 (major product), 14 , and 15 were obtained. Selective π→π* excitation of 5 at ?78° and + 24° led to similar product patterns. The 9β,10β-epimeric epoxyketone 7 selectively isomerized to 14 and 15 at + 24° and n → π* or π → π* excitation. Neither the epoxyketones 5 and 7 nor the photoproducts 13–15 were photochemically interconverted. In separate photolyses each of the latter gave the double bond isomers 16 , 18 , and 19 , respectively. Cleavage of 13 to the dienone aldehyde 17 competed with the double bond shift ( → 16 ) when photolyzed in alcoholic solvents instead of benzene. The selective transformations 5 → 13 (at ?65° and n → π* excitation) and 7 → 14 + 15 are attributed to stereoelectronic factors facilitating the skeletal rearrangements of the diradicals 53 and 55 , the likely primary photoproducts resulting from epoxide cleavage in the triplet-excited compounds 5 and 7 , via the transition states 54 , 56 , and 57 . The loss of selectivity in product formation from 5 at higher temperature and n → π* excitation or triplet sensitization is explicable in terms of radical dissociation into 58 and 59 increasingly participating at the secondary thermal transformations of 53 . The similar effect of π → π* excitation even at ?78° indicates that some of the π,π* singlet energy may become available as thermal activation energy. It is further suggested that the considerably lesser ring strain in 14 and 15 , as compared with 13 , is responsible that selectivity in product formation from 7 is maintained also at +24° and at π → π* excitation.     

New Heptalenes Substituted with Extended π-Systems

The synthesis of π-substituted heptalenecarboxylates or -dicarboxylates, starting with the easily available dimethyl 9-isopropyl-1, 6-dimethylheptalene-4, 5-dicarboxylate ( 2b ), are described. Treatment of 2b with t-BuOK and C₂Cl₆ at ?78° leads to the chemoselective introduction of a Cl substituent in Me-C(1) (see 5b in Scheme 1). Formation of the corresponding triphenylphosphonium salt 7b via the iodide 6b (Scheme 2) allowed a Wittig reaction with cinnamaldehyde in the two-phase system CH₂Cl₂/2N NaOH. Transformation of the 4, 5-dicar-boxylate of 2b into the corresponding pseudo-ester 10b allowed the selective reduction of the carbonyl function at C(4) with DIBAH to yield the corresponding 4-carbaldehyde 11b (Scheme 3). Wittig reaction of 11b with (benzyl) triphenylphosphonium bromide led to the introduction of the 4-phenylbuta-1, 3-dienyl substituent at C(4). The combination of both Wittig reactions led to the synthesis of the 1, 4-bis(4-phenylbuta-1, 3-dienyl)-substituted heptalene-5-carboxylate (all-E)- 17b (Scheme 5). In a similar manner, by applying a Horner-Wadsworth-Emmons reaction, followed by the Wittig reaction, the donor-acceptor substituted heptalene-5-carboxylate (E;E)- 22b was synthesized (Scheme7). Most of these new heptalenes are in solution, at room temperature, in thermal equilibrium with their double-bond shifted (DBS) isomers. In the case of (all-E)- 17b and (E;E)- 22b , irradiation of the thermal equilibrium mixture with light of λ -(439 ± 10) nm led to a strong preponderance ( > 90%) of the DBS isomers 17a and (E;E)- 22a , respectively (Schemes 6 and 7). Heating of the photo-mixtures at 40° re-established quickly the thermal equilibrium mixtures. Heptalenes-carboxylates (all-E)- 17a and (E;E)- 22a which represent the off-state of a 1,4-conjugative switch (CS) system show typical heptalene UV/VIS spectra with a bathochromically shifted heptalene band III and comparably weak heptalene bands II and I which appear only as shoulders (Figs. 4 and 5). In contrast, the DBS isomers (all-E)- 17b and (all-E)- 22b , equivalent to the on-state of a 1,4-CS system, exhibit extremely intense heptalene bands I and, possibly, II which appear as a broad absorption band at 440 and 445 nm, respectively, thus indicating that the CSs (all-E)- 17a ?(all-E)- 17b and (E;E)- 22a ?(E;E)- 22b are perfectly working.     

Network Motifs and Thermal Properties of Copper(I) Halide and Pseudohalide Coordination Polymers with 1, 7‐ and 4, 7‐Phenanthroline

The coordination polymers [CuBr(1, 7‐phen‐κN7)] ( 1a ), [CuI(1, 7‐phen)] ( 2a ) and [(CuI)₂(1, 7‐phen‐κN7)] ( 2b ) may be prepared by treatment of the appropriate copper(I) halide with 1, 7‐phenanthroline (1, 7‐phen) in acetonitrile. 1a exhibits staircase CuBr double chains, 2a novel quadruple CuI chains. Their thermal properties were investigated by DTA‐TG and temperature resolved powder X‐ray diffraction. On heating, both 1:1 compounds decompose to 2:1 polymers and then finally to CuBr or CuI. With 4, 7‐phenanthroline (4, 7‐phen), CuBr affords both 1:1 and 2:1 complexes ( 5a , 5b ), CuI 1:1 , 2:1 and 3:1 complexes( 6a , 6b , 6c ) in acetonitrile at 20 °C. 5a and 6a display lamellar coordination networks, with the former containing zigzag CuBr single chains, the latter 4‐membered (CuI)₂ rings. A second 2:1 complex [(CuI)₂(4, 7‐phen‐μ‐N4, N7)] ( 6b ′) with staircase CuI double chains can be obtained by reacting CuI with 4, 7‐phen in a sealed glass tube at 110 °C. Both 5a and 6a exhibit thermal decomposition pathways of the general type 1:1 → 2:1 → 3:1 → CuX, and novel CuX triple chains are proposed for the isostructural 3:1 polymers 5c and 6c . X‐ray structures are reported for complexes 1a , 2b , [(CuCN)₃(CH₃CN)(1, 7‐phen‐μ‐N1, N7)] ( 3c· CH₃CN), [CuSCN(1, 7‐phen‐κN7)] ( 4a ), 5a , 6a and [CuCN(4, 7‐phen‐μ‐N4, N7)] ( 7a ).     

Spezifisch π→π*-induzierte Reaktionen von γ-Dimethoxymethylcyclohexen-2-onen: 1,3-Umlagerung und Wasserstoffabstraktion durch das α-Kohlenstoffatom

When α,β-unsaturated γ-dimethoxymethyl cyclohexenones are excited to the S₂(π,π*) state, certain unimolecular reactions can be observed to compete with S₂ → S₁ internal conversion. These reactions do not occur from the S₁(n,π*) or the lowest T(π,π* and n,π*) states. They comprise the radical elimination of the formylacetal substituent (cf. 8 , 9 → 32 + 33 ), γ → α formylacetal migration (cf. 6 → 27 , 8 → 30 , 9 → 34 , 12 → 37 ), and a cyclization process involving the transfer of a methoxyl hydrogen to the α carbon and ring closure at the β position (cf. 6 → 28 , 8 → 31 , 12 → 38 , 20 → 40 + 41 ). The quantum yield of the ring closure 20a → 40a + 41a is 0.016 at ≤ 0.05M concentration. It is independent of the excitation wavelength within the π→π* absorption band (238–254 nm), but Φ ( 40a + 41a ) decreases at higher concentrations. According to the experimental data the reactive species of these specifically π→π*-induced transformations is placed energetically higher than the S₁(n,π*) state, and it is either identical with the thermally equilibrated S₂(n,π*) state, or reached via this latter state. The linear dienone 14 undergoes a similar π→π*-induced cyclization (→ 42 ) whereas the benzohomologue 26 proved unreactive, and the dienone 22 at both n → π and π→π* excitation only gives rise to rearrangements generally characteristic of cross-conjugated cyclohexadienones.     

Preparation of 2‐amino‐5‐methyl‐7H‐1,3,4‐thiadiazolo[3,2‐α]pyrimidin‐7‐ones

2‐Amino substituted 7H‐1,3,4‐thiadiazolo[3,2‐α]pyrimidin‐7‐ones 11a‐e were prepared by the reaction of 2‐bromo‐5‐amino‐1,3,4‐thiadiazole ( 1b ) and diketene ( 8 ), subsequent cyclocondensation ( 9b → 3b ) and displacement of the bromo substituents by the reaction with primary or secondary amines ( 3b → 11a‐e ). The hydrogen atom 6‐H in the heterobicycle 3b is replaced by a Cl or Br atom in the transformation of 3b → 14a,b. The 2‐bromo‐6‐chloro compound 14a reacts chemoselectively in the 2‐position with dimethylamine ( 14a → 15 ). The structure elucidations are based on one‐ and two‐dimensional NMR techniques including a heteronuclear NOE measurement.     

Photochemische Reaktionen. 116. Mitteilung [1]. Notiz zur 1γ, δ*-induzierten Photospaltung von γ, δ-Epoxy-eucarvon

π, π*-Induced Photocleavage of γ, δ-Epoxy-eucarvone . On ¹π, π*-excitation 1 undergoes cleavage of the C, C-oxirane bond ( 1 → c ) and isomerizes to the bicyclic dihydrofurane compound 5 . In addition, 1 shows photocleavage of the C (γ), O-oxirane bond ( 1 → d ) and gives the isomers 2, 3, 6, 7 and 8. Furthermore, the cyclohexenone 9 and the cyclohexene-1, 4-dione 10 are formed presumably via an intermediate 13 , which could also arise from d. Besides these products the compounds 11 and 12 are obtained, which are photoproducts of 2 .     

Nachweis von π → σ-Umlagerungen bei Ligandenverdrängungsreaktionen von π-Allyl-π-cyclopentadienyl-Palladiumkomplexen

It has been proved by NMR. measurements at low temperatures that the ligand displacement reactions of (π-all)Pd(π-C₅H₅) and Lewis bases L yielding PdL₄ proceed by a π → σ rearrangement of the allylic group as the primary step. The organic reaction product is the 1-isomer of the corresponding allylcyclopentadiene but in the reactions of (π-1,1,2-Me₃C₃H₂)Pd(π-C₅H₅) with L besides the isomeric allylcyclopentadienes also 2,3-dimethylbutadiene and cyclopentadiene are formed. The reaction mechanism will be discussed.     

Photochemische Reaktionen. 83. Mitteilung. Verbindungen der 3,4-Dihydrojonon-Reihe als Modelle zur Photochemie γ, δ- bzw. δ, ϵ-ungesättigter Ketone und Aldehyde

Compounds of the 3,4-dihydro-ionone series as models for the photochemistry of γ, δ- and δ,?- unsaturated ketones and aldehydes . The photochemistry of γ, δ- and δ,?-unsaturated carbonyl compounds of the dihydro-ionone series has been studied, with special attention to the investigation of oxetane formation versus hydrogen abstraction. UV.-irradiation of the dihydro-β-ionone compounds with structure A ( 1 , 7 , 14 , 18 , 24 , 29 ) led to isomeric ethers with structures B ( 2 , 8 , 15 , 19 , 25 , 30 ), C ( 3 , 9 , 16 , 20 , 26 , 31 ) and D ( 4 , 21 , 27 ), isomeric bicyclic alcohols with structure E ( 5 , 10 , 17 , 22 , 28 ), and photoreduction products with structure F ( 6 , 11 , 12 , 13 ). Photolysis of dihydro-γ-ionone ( 32 ) gave a complex mixture containing fragmentation product 35 , hydrocarbon 36 , β-ambrinol ( 34 ), oxetane 33 , as well as dihydro-β-ionone ( 1 ) and three of its photoproducts ( 2 , 3 , 5 ). The dihydro-α-ionone compounds 37 and 40 gave mixtures of fragmentation products and the oxetanes 38 and 41 . Irradiation of the side-chain homologues 42 and 45 yielded 43 , which photo-cyclizes to 44 . In contrast, 3 , 4 -dihydro-3′,4′-dehydro-β-ionone ( 46 ) gave merely the isomeric open-chain triene-ketone 47 . The structures assigned to the ethers 2 , 3 , 33 , 38 and to the alcohols 5 , 10 , 13 could be confirmed by chemical reactions and mutual interconversions. The structure of the ether 21 had to be established by X-ray analysis, details of which are described. A novel intramolecular hydrogen transfer is involved in formation of ethers B . The photocyclization A → D probably proceeds by addition of the carbonyl-C atom to the double bond ( A → h ), followed by methyl (1 → 2)-shift ( h → i ). Process A → h may also be involved in formation of compounds of type C and E .     

Heteroelectrocyclic reaction of 4‐azido‐3‐hydrazonoalkyl‐quinolines to 2‐arylaminopyrazolo[4,3‐c]quinolones

4‐Azido‐3‐acylquinolones 4 obtained from 4‐hydroxy derivatives 1 via tosylates 3 or chlorides 5, reacted with arylhydrazines 6 to generate 4‐azido‐3‐hydrazonoalkylquinolines 7. Thermolysis of 7 gave ring closure products which were assigned to 2‐arylaminopyrazolo[4,3‐c]quinolones 10. The thermal decomposition conditions of the azides 4 and 7 were studied by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC).     

Highly Efficient Regio- and Stereoselective Synthesis of β-（1 →6）-Branched β-（1 →3）-Linked Glucohexaose and Its Analogue

A β-（1→）6）-branched β-（1→）3）-linked glucohexaose （1） and its lauryl glycoside （2）, present in many biologically active polysaccharides from traditional herbal medicines such as Ganoderma lucidum, Schizophyllum commune and Lentinus edodes, were highly efficiently synthesized. Coupling of 2,3,4,6-tetra-O-benzoyl-β-D-glucopyranosyl- （1--）3）-2-O-benzoyl-4,6-O-benzylidene-a-D-glucopyranosyl trichloroacetimidate （7） with 3,6-branched acceptors 8 and 12 gave β-（1→）3）-linked pentasaccharides （9） and （13）, then via simple chemical transformation 4＇,6＇-OH pentasaccharide acceptors 10 and 14 were obtained. Regio- and stereoselective coupling of 3 with 10 and 14 gave β-（1→）3）-linked hexasaccharides （11） and （15） as the major products. Deprotection of 11 and 15 provided the target sugar 1 and 2. Thus, a new method for the preparation of this kind of compounds was developed.     

Totalsynthese von natürlichem α-Tocopherol. 2. Mitteilung. Aufbau der Seitenkette aus (−)-(S)-3-Methyl-γ-butyrolacton

Total Synthesis of Natural α-Tocopherol A short and efficient route to optically pure (+)-(3 R, 7 R)-trimethyldodecanol ( 14 ) is demonstrated, 14 serving as side chain unit in the preparation of natural vitamin E. The synthesis of 14 is based on the concept of using a single optically active C₅-synthon of suitable configuration and functionalization to introduce both asymmetric centres in 14 . (?)-(S)-3-Methyl-γ-butyrolacton ( 1 ) and ethyl (?)-(S)-4-bromo-3-methylbutyrate ( 2 ), respectively, is used in a sequence of either two Grignard C,C-coupling reactions 5 → 8 and 12 → 13 or two Wittig reactions 17a → 18 and 20 → 21 to achieve this goal. 14 is converted to (2 R, 4′R, 8′R)-α-tocopherol (= vitamin E) by coupling with a chroman unit in known manner. Optical purity of products and intermediates is established.     

Oxidative Coupling of αω,-Di(cyclopentadienyl)alkane-diides

The Cu^II-induced oxidative coupling of αω,-di(cyclopentadienyl)alkane-diides 6 (n = 2–5) has been shown to proceed mainly by an intermolecular pathway to give polymers 8 , while the yield of intramolecular coupling 6 → 7 strongly decreases with increasing number n of C-atoms of the alkyl chain (Scheme 3). For n = 2, intramolecular coupling may be considerably enhanced by replacing the H-atoms of the CH₂CH₂ bridge of 6a (n = 2) by Me groups. In this case, intramolecular couplings 11 → 20 (Scheme 7) and 22 → 23 + 24 (Scheme 8) are accomplished with a total yield of 59% and 54%, respectively. All the intramolecular couplings investigated so far proceed stereoselectively to give the C₂-symmetrical cyclohexanes 7a, 20 and 23 with a fixed chair conformation. These results are easily explained, if a conformational equilibrium E ? F is operative in which large substituents R are assumed to enhance the gauche-conformation F which is the favored conformation for intramolecular couplings. Bridged dihydropentafulvalenes 20 and 23 are quantitatively rearranged to the thermodynamically favored bridged pentafulvenes 27 and 28 under base or acid catalysis, respectively (Scheme 9).     

Photochemische Reaktionen. 109. Mitteilung [1]. Zur Photochemie konjugierter δ-Keto-enone und β,γ,δ,ϵ-ungesättigter Ketone

Photochemistry of Conjugated δ-Keto-enones and β,γ,δ,?-Unsaturated Ketones On ¹π,π*-excitation the δ-keto-enones 5–8 are isomerized to compounds B ( 18 , 22 , 26 , 28 ) via 1,3-acyl shift and to compounds C ( 19 , 23 , 27 , 29 ) via 1,2-acyl shift, whereas the β,γ,δ,?-unsaturated ketone 9 gives the isomers 32 and 33 by 1,2-and 1,5-acyl shift, respectively. Furthermore, isomerization of 6 to 24 , dimerization of 8 to 30 and addition of methanol to 8 ( 8 → 31 ) is observed. Unlike 7 and 8 the acyclic ketones 5 , 6 and 9 undergo photodecarbonylation on ¹π,π*-excitation ( 5 → 20 , 21 ; 6 → 20 , 25 ; (E)- 9 → 35–38 ). Evidence is given, that the conversion to B as well as the photodecarbonylation of 5,6 and 9 arise from an excited singulet state, but the conversion to C as well as the dimerization of 8 from the T₁-state.