Prostanoids: LXXVII. Synthetic Approaches to Sterically Overcrowded Cyclopentenones

Condensation of (±)-5-allyl-2,3,5-trichloro-4,4-dimethoxy-2-cyclopentenone with phenylethynylmagnesium bromide in THF gave (±)-5-allyl-2,3,5-trichloro-4,4-dimethoxy-1-phenylethynyl-2-cyclopenten-1-ol which chemoselectively reacted with ozone at the terminal double bond, affording (±)-2,3,5-trichloro-5-formylmethyl-4,4-dimethoxy-1-phenylethynyl-2-cyclopenten-1-ol. Oxidation of the latter with H₂CrO₄ yielded a mixture of the expected product, (±)-5-carboxymethyl-2,3,5-trichloro-4,4-dimethoxy-1-phenylethynyl-2-cyclopenten-1-ol, and anomalous profound oxidation product, (±)-2,3,5-trichloro-5-carboxymethyl-4,4-dimethoxy-1-(2-oxo-2-phenylacetyl)-2-cyclopenten-1-ol. Attempts to remove protective methoxy groups in these compounds under standard conditions were unsuccessful.