Alkene metathesis ester

Ethers, esters, amides and imidazolidines containing an epithio group are said to be effective in enhancing the antiwear and extreme pressure peiformance of lubricants. Other uses of thiiranes are as follows fuel gas odorant (2-methylthiirane), improvement of antistatic and wetting properties of fibers and films [poly(ethyleneglycol) ethers of 2-hydroxymethyl thiirane], inhibition of alkene metathesis (2-methylthiirane), stabilizers for poly(thiirane) (halogen adducts of thiiranes), enhancement of respiration of tobacco leaves (thiirane), tobacco additives to reduce nicotine and to reduce phenol levels in smoke [2-(methoxymethyl)thiirane], stabilizers for trichloroethylene and 1,1,1-trichloroethane (2-methylthiirane, 2-hydroxymethylthiirane) and stabilizers for organic compounds (0,0-dialkyldithiophosphate esters of 2-mercaptomethylthiirane). The product of the reaction of aniline with thiirane is reported to be useful in the flotation of zinc sulfide. 

Alkenyl-2-azetidinone systems could be converted to bicyclic (3-lactam carboxylic esters and hence carboxylic acids (Fig. 5) via tandem Ireland-Claisen rearrangement and subsequent alkene metathesis [250],... 

The yields from aldehyde alkylidenation is somewhat lower due to the reductive dimerization of aldehydes with low-valent Ti. Alkylidenation of esters is possible by the reaction of 1,1 -dibromoalkane. TiCU and Zn in the presence of TMEDA to give (Z) vinyl ethers [60], Cyclic vinyl ethers are prepared from unsaturated esters in two steps. The first step is formation of the acyclic enol ethers using a stoichiometric amount of the Ti reagent, and the second step is ring-closing alkene metathesis catalysed by Mo complex 19. Thus the benzofiiran moiety of sophora compound I (199, R = H) was synthesized by the carbonyl alkenation of ester in 197 with the Ti reagent prepared in situ, and the subsequent catalytic RCM of the resulting enol ether 198 catalysed by 19 [61]. 

The Tebbe reagent reacts with some alkenes. The tricyclo[5.3.0.0] ring 207 was obtained nearly quantitatively by domino alkene metathesis and carbonyl alkenation of the norbomene-type ester 205 with the Tebbe reagent. This interesting reaction to give the intermediate 206 can be explained by the kinetic preference of the Tebbe reagent for the strained double bond over the ester. Alkenation of the ester in 206 produces 207. Capnellene (208) has been synthesized by applying this reaction as a key reaction [65],... 

The photochemical reactions of arenecarboxylic acid esters with alkenes has received recent attention by Cantrell. - For example, irradiation of 2,3-dimethyl-2-butene and methyl benzoate gave a mixture of alkoxyoxetane (56), carbonyl-alkene metathesis product (57) and ketone (58), resulting from alkoxy radical allylic hydrogen abstraction and radical recombination. Such alkoxyoxetane photoproducts are... 

Some alkene metathesis catalysts, notably WCI activated by Me Sn, are tolerant of many functional groups such as —CO R, —COR, —CN, —halogen or —OSiMe3. Fischer carbenes such as Ph(MeO)C=W(CO)5 in the presence of Lewis acids are also useful. This has been exploited in the synthesis of long chain dicarboxylic esters from, for example, methyl oleate. 

Jon D. Rainier of the University of Utah has put forward J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2007,129,12604) an elegant alternative to Ru-catalyzed alkene metathesis, demonstrating that an (O-aUsenyl ester such as 1 win cychze to the enol ether 2 imder Tebbe conditions. 

Both the Tebbe and Petasis reagents, Cp2CH2ClAlMe2 and Cp2TiMe2, effect the direct conversion of alkenic esters to dihydropyrans. This olefin metathesis has been successfully applied to the synthesis of complex polyether frameworks <96JA1565,96JA10335>. 

Polar-substituted alkenes where the functionality is not attached to a strained ring are considerably more discriminating in their compatibility with metathesis catalysts and as a rule require relatively high catalyst charges. In the aliphatic series, unsaturated esters have received the most attention. Boelhouwer reported in 1972 the metathesis of the ester methyl oleate and its trans isomer, methyl elaidate, with a homogeneous catalyst based on a 1/1.4 molar combination of WCl6/(CH3)4Sn (23). At 70°C and an ester/W molar ratio of 33, near-thermodynamic equilibrium was attained, and 49 and 52% of the respective esters were converted to equal amounts of 9-octadecene and the dimethyl ester of 9-octadecene-1,18-dioic acid. 

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