1. Department of Chemistry, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia 22904 (USA);2. Department of Chemistry, Key Laboratory of Green Chemistry and Technology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610064 (China)
Abstract:
A convenient route with high stereo control to γ‐acetoxy dienoates is provided by the reaction of methyl propiolate with aldehydes in the presence of ZnEt2 and N‐methylimidazole at room temperature, followed by the catalytic conversion of the resulting γ‐hydroxy‐α,β‐acetylenic esters with p‐N,N‐dimethylaminopyridine (DMAP) in acetic anhydride (see scheme).
