Reaction of 3-Methyleneisocamphanone with Derivatives of Malonic Acid

Reaction of 3-methyleneisocamphanone with malononitrile, ethyl cyanoacetate or diethyl malonate in the presence of catalytic quantities of alkali or under catalysis with tetramethylguanidine in ethanol proceeds according to classical scheme of the Michael reaction and gives rise to 3-exo-(2,2-dicyanoethyl)-, 3-exo-(2-cyano-2-ethoxycarbonylethyl)-, or 3-exo-(2,2-diethoxycarbonylethyl)isocamphanone respectively. When the reaction with ethyl cyanoacetate and diethyl malonate is carried out in methanol occurs transalkylation of the ester groups resulting in the corresponding methyl esters, and in THF occurs hydrolysis to form carboxylic acids. In ethanol or methanol in the presence of equimolar or excess amounts of alkali compounds with cyano groups suffer cyclization into the corresponding 2-alkoxy-3-cyano- or 1-alkoxy-3-alkoxycarbonyl-7,7,8-trimethylbicyclo2.2.1]hepteno2.3-b]pyridines. In THF partially form analogous tricyclic 2-hydroxypyridines.