Alkenes from lactones

The application of lithiumtrimethylsilyl acetate for the C-l elongation of aldonolactones has been examined (73). Although the reagent had been successfully used for the alkenation of lactone carbonyl groups (74), in the case of aldonolactones 10b or 25b only insignificant yields of the alkenes, but 30 - 40% of the lactols 49a or 50a, were obtained (73). However, these lactols, alternatively prepared in good yields by a Reformatsky-type reaction (53,54), were readily eliminated to the desired alkenes by simple treatment with methanesulfonyl chloride-triethylamine at 0°. Thus, from 49a or 50a separable E,Z mixtures (76a and 76b, or 77a and 77b, respectively) were obtained in good yields (73). 

Alkenes from p-oxygenated selenidesS /J-Phenylseleno lactones, ethers, and alcohols are converted into alkenes on treatment with ClSi(CHj)j and Nal in C HiCN. Hydriodic acid (formed by inadvertent hydrolysis) may play a role this acid cun effect this reaction, but in lower yield. This elimination thus reverses cyclo-(unclionali/ations induced by C6H5ScX (cf Na-NH3, 9, 26), and in addition provides a stereospecific route to alkenes by way of/l-hydroxv selenides. lixnmplc ... 

You saw earlier the epoxidation of a lactone-brldgsd alkene from the less hindered face. 

Cycloalkylation of p dicarbonyl compounds. The radicals generated from Mn(III) oxidation of j3-dicarbonyl compounds add to alkenes efficiently. Lactone formation from alkenes is improved by ultrasound (45-80% yield). ... 

Fraga B.M., Terrero D. Alkene-p-lactones and avocadofurans from Persea indica a revision of the structure of majorenolide and related lactones. Phytochemistry, 41 229-232 (1996). 

The reaction of alkenyl mercurials with alkenes forms 7r-allylpalladium intermediates by the rearrangement of Pd via the elimination of H—Pd—Cl and its reverse readdition. Further transformations such as trapping with nucleophiles or elimination form conjugated dienes[379]. The 7r-allylpalladium intermediate 418 formed from 3-butenoic acid reacts intramolecularly with carboxylic acid to yield the 7-vinyl-7-laCtone 4I9[380], The /i,7-titisaturated amide 421 is obtained by the reaction of 4-vinyl-2-azetidinone (420) with an organomercur-ial. Similarly homoallylic alcohols are obtained from vinylic oxetanes[381]. 

The adjacent iodine and lactone groupings in 16 constitute the structural prerequisite, or retron, for the iodolactonization transform.15 It was anticipated that the action of iodine on unsaturated carboxylic acid 17 would induce iodolactonization16 to give iodo-lactone 16. The cis C20-C21 double bond in 17 provides a convenient opportunity for molecular simplification. In the synthetic direction, a Wittig reaction17 between the nonstabilized phosphorous ylide derived from 19 and aldehyde 18 could result in the formation of cis alkene 17. Enantiomerically pure (/ )-citronellic acid (20) and (+)-/ -hydroxyisobutyric acid (11) are readily available sources of chirality that could be converted in a straightforward manner into optically active building blocks 18 and 19, respectively. 

The addition of Grignard reagents to aldehydes, ketones, and esters is the basis for the synthesis of a wide variety of alcohols, and several examples are given in Scheme 7.3. Primary alcohols can be made from formaldehyde (Entry 1) or, with addition of two carbons, from ethylene oxide (Entry 2). Secondary alcohols are obtained from aldehydes (Entries 3 to 6) or formate esters (Entry 7). Tertiary alcohols can be made from esters (Entries 8 and 9) or ketones (Entry 10). Lactones give diols (Entry 11). Aldehydes can be prepared from trialkyl orthoformate esters (Entries 12 and 13). Ketones can be made from nitriles (Entries 14 and 15), pyridine-2-thiol esters (Entry 16), N-methoxy-A-methyl carboxamides (Entries 17 and 18), or anhydrides (Entry 19). Carboxylic acids are available by reaction with C02 (Entries 20 to 22). Amines can be prepared from imines (Entry 23). Two-step procedures that involve formation and dehydration of alcohols provide routes to certain alkenes (Entries 24 and 25). 

Scheme 13.17 depicts a synthesis based on enantioselective reduction of bicyclo[2.2.2]octane-2,6-dione by Baker s yeast.21 This is an example of desym-metrization (see Part A, Topic 2.2). The unreduced carbonyl group was converted to an alkene by the Shapiro reaction. The alcohol was then reoxidized to a ketone. The enantiomerically pure intermediate was converted to the lactone by Baeyer-Villiger oxidation and an allylic rearrangement. The methyl group was introduced stereoselec-tively from the exo face of the bicyclic lactone by an enolate alkylation in Step C-l. 

The photoelimination of carbon dioxide from esters and lactones is a process that has been the subject of detailed investigations. Discussion here is limited to nitrogen containing systems. 3,4-Diphenylsydnone (464), on irradiation in benzene, is converted via the nitrile imine 465 into 2,4,5-triphenyl-1,2,3-triazole (466)388 initial bond formation between N-2 and C-4 followed by loss of carbon dioxide to give the diazirine 467 is proposed to account for the formation of the nitrile imine. Nitrile imines generated in this way have been trapped with alkenes and alkynes to give pyrazoles389... 

A y-lactone was formed in excellent yield by the nucleophilic cyclization of a carboxylic acid onto an alkene radical cation generated from a (i-nilrophosphale under tin hydride conditions (Scheme 21) [139]. Related experiments employing the acetate group and an internal carboxylate nucleophile failed, emphasizing the very rapid collapse of the alkene radical cation/acetate ion pair [127]. 

This reaction involves the two reactants carbon monoxide and alcohol and produces esters, or lactones. The starting material, which will be considered here, is an alkene or an alkyne but it is also possible to start from activated halides (aryl- or allyl- iodides and bromides) to produce the same kind of organic products. 

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