Ringerweiterung unter Lactonisierung von methylierten 1-(3′-Hydroxypropyl)-2-oxocyclododecan-1-carbonitrilen

Ring Enlargement by Lactonization of Methylated 1-(3′-Hydroxypropy1)-2-oxocyclododecane-1-carbonitriles The title compounds were prepared by Michael reaction of 2-oxocyclododecane-1-carbonitrile ( 1 ) and acrylaldehyde and its derivatives followed by NaBH₄ reduction or methylation of the aldehyde group with [(CH₃)₂Ti(i-PrO)₂] (Scheme 1). In all cases, the ring enlargement was performed with Bu₄NF/THF to give different methylated derivatives of 12-cyano-15-pentadecanolide ( 13 ) in 95–99% yield. The Yields of the rearrangement products are not dependent on the positions and numbers of the CH₃ groups in the side chain of 3 . The lactonization reaction is of unremarkable stereoselectivity.     

Cyclopentenone Annulation of 2-Oxocycloalkane-1-carbonitriles

Phase-transfer alkylation of the 2-oxocycloalkane-l-carbonitriles 1a and 1b with ethyl 4-bromo-3-methoxy-2-butenoate ( 2 ), followed by deprotection and base-catalyzed cyclization gave the annulated cyclopentenones 5a and 5b , respectively, in high overall yields (Scheme 1). Stereoselective catalytic hydrogenation of 5b followed by de-ethoxycarbonylation afforded 14-oxo-cis-bicyclo[10.3.0]pentadecane-l-carbonitrile ( 7 ). Treatment of 7 with LiN(i-Pr)₂ in THF gave the known synthetic muscone precursor 8 (Scheme 2). The tricyclo[10.4.0.0^1,15]hexadecan-14-one ( 14 ) was prepared from 7 in 5 steps by a reaction sequence proceeding without affecting the chiral centres (Scheme 2). The structure of 14 was established by X-ray structure analysis (Figure).     

Die Oxidation von 3-(1-Nitro-2-oxocycloalkyl)propanal

The Oxidation of 3-(1-Nitro-2-oxocycloalkyl)propanal Oxidation of the title compound 1 with KMnO₄ under neutral conditions led to the corresponding acid 2 , 5-(2,3,4,5-tetrahydro-2-nitro-5-oxo-2-furyl)pentanoic acid ( 4 ), and 4-oxononadioic acid ( 6 ). On the basis of experimental results the mechanism of the formation of 4 is discussed (Scheme 1). Oxidation of 1 with KMnO₄ under basic conditions gave 6 which was transformed to (E)-4,5-dihydro-5(2′-oxocyclopentyliden)furan-2(3H)-one ( 12 ) with benzene/TsOH (Scheme 3). In contrast to this result the corresponding 4-oxoheptandioic acid ( 22 ) yields 1,6-dioxaspiro[4,4]nonan-2,7-dione ( 23 ) only (Scheme 4).     

Efficient Aerobic Wacker Oxidation of Styrenes Using Palladium Bis(isonitrile) Catalysts

The palladium‐catalyzed aerobic oxidation of alkenes and especially styrenes (Wacker oxidation) by using chiral pseudo C₂‐symmetrical bis(isonitrile) ligands in the absence of further cocatalysts gives rise to methyl ketones in a highly chemoselective manner. The palladium bis(isonitrile) catalyst was characterized by NMR spectroscopy and X‐ray structure analysis, revealing a dissymmetric coordination of palladium by the two isonitrile moieties.