Eugenol and safrole as starting materials for the synthesis of 3-alkyl muconic acid mono and dimethyl esters and 4,4-dialkyl butenolides

Compounds $\text{1b-e}$ and $\text{2b-d}$ prepared from eugenol ($\text{1a}$) and safrole ($\text{2a}$) respectively were submitted to ozonation in methanol at 0°C. The 3-alkyl muconic acid dimethyl esters $\text{4b-e}$ were produced from $\text{1b-e}$ (～ 45%), while starting from $\text{2b-d}$ the 3-alkyl muconic acid monomethyl esters $\text{6b-d}$ were obtained regiospecifically (～ 75%). These latter compounds were transformed (～ 85%) into the 4,4-dialkyl butenolides $\text{7b-d}$.