Zum Mechanismus der α-Alkinon-Cyclisierung: Synthese und Thermolyse von 1-(1-Methylcyclopentyl)[3-13C]prop-2-inon

On the Mechanism of the α-Alkynone Cyclization: Synthesis and Thermolysis of 1-(1-Methylcyclopentyl)3-¹³C]prop-2-ynone The relative migratory aptitude of two acetylenic substituents in the α-alkynone cyclization, a thermal conversion of α-acetylenic ketones A to 2-cyclopentenones C , was investigated by isotope-labeling experiments. The α-alkynone β-¹³C]- 1 , specifically labeled with ¹³C at the β-acetylenic C-atom C(3), was synthesized by an intramolecular Witting reaction (230–300°) of the diacylmethylidenephosphorane ¹³C]- 7. The latter resulted from acylation of methylidenetriphenylphosphorane with the acid chloride 4 to yield the acylmethylidenephosphorane 5 , which in turn was formylated with acetic ¹³C]formic anhydride (¹³C]- 6. ) Upon thermolysis of β-¹³C]- 1 , its label at C(β) was transferred almost exclusively to C(β) of the 2-cyclopentenone moiety in the resulting cyclization product ¹³C]- 2. We conclude that there is a distinct preference for hydrogen migration in the acetylene → alkylidene carbene isomerization (A → B) which precedes the cyclization step (B → C). No evidence was found for a fast reversibility of this isomerization (A ? B) involving both acetylenic substituents.