Synthesis of Stable Atropisomers of Dialkyl-4-Ethoxy-1-(8-((2-ethoxy-2-oxoacetyl)-amino)-1-naphthyl)-5-oxo-4,5-dihydro-1H-pyrrole-2,3-dicarboxylates

Summary.  Protonation of the reactive 1:1-intermediate produced in the reaction between triphenylphosphine and dialkyl acetylenedicarboxylates with diethyl N,N′-(naphthalene-1,8-diyl)-dioxamate leads to a vinylphosphonium salt which undergoes an intramolecular Wittig reaction to produce dialkyl-4-ethoxy-1-(8-((2-ethoxy-2-oxoacetyl)-amino)-1-naphthyl)-5-oxo-4,5-dihydro-1H-pyrrole-2,3-dicarboxylates in good yields. The title compounds exist as stable rotamers as a result of restricted rotation around the single bond linking the naphthalene moiety and the heterocyclic system. The calculated free energy of activation for interconversion of the atropisomers amounts to about 102±2 kJ · mol⁻¹. Corresponding author. E-mail: isayavar@yahoo.com Received February 5, 2002. Accepted March 19, 2002