Structure and Reactivity of Xanthocorrinoids. Part III. The first example of a pinacol-type rearrangement in the corrin series

The transformation of the c-acetic-acid chain of hexamethyl Coα, Coβ-dicyanocobyrinate into an ethyl group (→ 2 ) as well as the synthesis of the pentadecaalkyl-cobalticorrin 6d from commercial cyanocobalamin are described. On reaction of 2 or 6d with O₂ in the presence of ascorbic acid, migration of the CH₃ group at C(5) to the vicinal position C(6) takes place concomitantly with the introduction of a carbonyl group at C(5).